Spice Of The Week: Asafoetida

Asafoetida /æsəˈfɛtᵻdə/ is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, a perennial herb that grows 3.3 to 4.9 ft tall. The species is native to the deserts of Iran and mountains of Afghanistan and is mainly cultivated in nearby India. As its name suggests, asafoetida has a fetid smell, but in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavour reminiscent of leeks.

It is also known as devil's dung, asant, food of the gods, jowani badian, stinking gum, hing, hengu, ingu, kayam, and ting. The plant is in the same genus as the now extinct silphium.

This spice is used as a digestive aid, in food as a condiment, and in pickling. It typically works as a flavour enhancer and, used along with turmeric, is a standard component of Indian cuisine, particularly in lentil curries such as dal, as well as in numerous vegetable dishes. It is sometimes used to harmonize sweet, sour, salty, and spicy components in food. Asafoetida, onion, and garlic are forbidden in yogic texts, and places them alongside meat and alcohol in terms of producing tamas or lethargy. The spice is added to the food at the time of tempering. Sometimes dried and ground asafoetida (in very mild quantity) can be mixed with salt and eaten with raw salad.

In its pure form, its odour is so strong, the pungent smell will contaminate other spices stored nearby if it is not stored in an airtight container; many commercial preparations of asafoetida use the resin ground up and mixed with a larger volume of wheat flour.[citation needed] The mixture is sold in sealed plastic containers. However, its odour and flavour become much milder and much less pungent upon heating in oil or ghee. Sometimes, it is fried along with sautéed onion and garlic.

Asafoetida is considered a digestive in that it reduces flatulence. It is, however, one of the pungent vegetables generally avoided by Buddhist .

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