Fenugreek is a slender annual herb of the pea family (Fabaceae). Its seeds are used as spice and leaves as herbs. The seeds are hard, yellowish brown and angular. Some are oblong, some rhombic, other virtually cubic, with a side of about 3mm (1/8″). They are available whole and dried, or as a dull yellow powder, ground from the roasted seeds. They have a warm and penetrating aroma, which becomes more pronounced when roasted.

In India it is cultivated extensively in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab.