Fenugreek is a highly aromatic seed which is partially responsible for the overall smell and taste of curries. They are usually fried or roasted at the beginning of a recipe before adding the other ingredients. Other recipes call for fenugreek to be ground or crushed – this calls for a good quality pestle and mortar since the seeds are quite hard. It is important to crush the seeds just before use since they lose their flavour quickly (once crushed).