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Asafoetida, also known as hing, is the powdered gum extracted from the root of the giant fennel. A major ingredient in Indian vegetarian cooking, it has a pungent, slightly sulfurous stink, hence it's nickname of "Devil's Dung" (I actually find it kind of pleasantly bracing, but maybe I'm a total freak). It's smell mellows through cooking to more of a standard onion+garlic odor. Asafoetida is a crucial ingredient in many Indian vegetarian recipes, including many curries and lentil dishes. You can find it at Indian markets, maybe at a gourmet specialty store, but I've never seen it at a standard supermaket. While the powder is naturally beige, many commercial preparations include turmeric for a bright yellow color. Check out this recipe for Gujarati dal (lentils in the style of the Gujarat province of India) with asafoetida at Archana's Kitchen.
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4-08-2008 @8:18PM Mathi said... I found this in the bulk spice section at a co-op I used to shop at, and being curious I opened the lid and sniffed.
I wanted to puke. I later learned the word 'fetid' comes from asafoetida and I was not surprised.
Never open a fresh jar of this powder and sniff it, seriously. I could not imagine eating it as-is, but it may be interesting to try it as a cooked ingredient.
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4-09-2008 @6:18AM Beany said... Mathi- The name 'asafoetida' comes from the word 'foetid', not the other way round.
A strict Hindu friend of mine didn't eat onions, and used asafoetida as a substitute- this is traditional, apparently.
I find that my sweat smells of it for several days after eating it...
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4-23-2008 @8:13AM Suzanne said... If you happen to have celiac disease or cannot eat gluten for other reasons -- watch out for hing! It is very often (if not *most* often) cut with wheat flour. And, from all I can tell, foods that use hing often do not disclose that wheat is part of the "bargain." :-( Makes eating in very authentic Indian restaurants (usually the best one!) very dicey.
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