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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