When fresh, Methi leaves have a light, sweet aroma with a mild, grassy, and slightly bitter flavour with notes of celery, fennel, and maple syrup. As the plant matures, it produces sword-shaped, pea-like pods that are filled with 10-20 small, flat, yellow-brown pungent and aromatic seeds that are very similar in flavour to that of the leaves.

Methi contains some iron, copper, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and manganese. Methi leaves should be squeezed to get the excess water out to remove bitterness and additional salt. They can then be used in curries, daals or lentil soups, aloo Methi sabzi also known as potato stir-fry, or blanched and added to chapatti batter. The fresh leaves can also be added to a salad mix for a bitter caramel flavour.