The plant is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop and is a common ingredient in many curries.
The cuboid yellow seeds are frequently used in the preparation of pickles, curry powders, and pastes and the spice is often encountered in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent.
The dried leaves have a bitter taste and a characteristically strong smell.
When harvested as microgreen, it is often grown near the sea in the sandy tracts.
Fenugreek is used in Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine.
The seeds are used in Ethiopia as a natural herbal medicine in the treatment of diabetes.