ottawa foodies

Hi, can anyone tell me where I can find fenugreek, either whole or ground in Ottawa?

Thanks.

I've bought it at the Westboro Superstore before. It's in the international foods aisle.

George’s on Innes in Orleans. Be careful, it’s potent stuff!

I know some natural food stores sell it ground up in caplets and it is powder inside.
Apparently good for sore throats??

So maybe that or try well.ca or amazon online sells a lot of herbs.

Herb and Spice on Wellington West, spice drawers almost hidden in the back.

Shiraz Market on Somerset has a great spice selection!

I was at the Westboro Superstore and could not find it. They had other Sura brand slices but not fenugreek. Aube they were out? I would like to where for sure sells it as well.

I have recipe from Vij’s I want to make. 😋

Bulk Barn had it in their spice section when I went yesterday.

MidEast Food Market on St. Laurent has it. In fact any shop specializing in middle eastern grocery should also have it.

I get mine at Vaishali Super Store Ltd on Wylie off of Carling (Britannia area)

You can get fenugreek seed at any Indian market. Most will also have kasoori methi, which are dried fenugreek leaves. Used in different applications. You can also get fresh fenugreek (methi) at some Indian stores (like Vaishalli’s) and at the Produce Depot.

Ground fenugreek at Herbs and Spice on Wellington West.

Thank you, i found it at Vaishalli's.

I am still looking for fenugreek leaves. Are those at Vaishalli’s?

Saw fresh fenugreek at the hunt club produce depot yesterday

Vaishalli’s usually has fresh fenugreek leaves (methi), though it can look a bit worse for wear. They definitely have dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), as well as whole and (usually) ground fenugreek seeds. Grinding whole seeds is unusually easy—they very quickly turn into a fine powder.

Produce Depot on Carling generally has the freshest looking methi, in my experience.

Cardamon and Cloves has dried but it's mail order.

I saw fresh Methi at Produce Depot Carling yesterday and it looked pretty fresh.

Silk Road has dried fenugreek leaves in their spice bins. It's fantastically fragrant.

I found this today at an Asian supermarket in Brossard. A quick google search suggests it is the same as dried fenugreek leaves. Is that so?

No. Those are curry leaves—different plant entirely. Dried curry leaves are pretty feeble—some Indian stores stock fresh ones—including Vaishalli’s. Also, usually found at produce depot on Carling—they are with the other exotic items in the display just to the left as you enter.

Curry leaves are used a lot in southern Indian cuisine—they have a singlular flavour—similar to asafoetida to me.

So, if I make the trip to Vaishailli’s to buy fenugreek leaves, what else should I get there that is central to making good Indian dishes?

Spices! They are cheap there—not exceptional quality but they do the trick.

I just thought of a couple of things! (Surprising I hadn't thought of them before, given how much Indian we cook...disclaimer that we skew Goan, though, so a lot of my suggestions are in that vein)

1. Amchoor (mango powder). It, along with asafoetida, is a great way to zazz up certain dishes. It's tart, so it provides a great counterpoint without adding liquid like lemon would.
2. Palm vinegar. Used a lot in Goan and south Indian dishes. I wish I could explain the difference in flavour compared to regular vinegar, but I'm at a loss. It's...smoother? More slightly coconutty?
3. Frozen, ground coconut. Unsweetened. Fantastic flavouring and texturizing agent.
4. Achar Gosht masala. This is the only boxed spice mix we buy. This stuff is frigging fantastic. It's got a great mix of savoury, spicy, and acid. You can use pretty much any meat with it (chicken is our favourite), and you stuff whole chilis with the masala mix to add to the curry. Lots of nigella, red chili, and fenugreek notes. Shan's a pretty good brand, and likely to be there (shop.khanapakana.com)