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Asafoetida

Hindi Name: Hing / Heeng

Botanical name
Ferula asafoetida

Family name
Apiaceae Oleogum

Commercial part
Resin extracted from rhizome and thickened root

The Latin name Ferula means " carrier" or "vehicle" and has been derived from a related species f. vulgaris that is considered to be the same plant, which helped Prometheus to carry the stolen fire form the sun to earth and hence has great significance in the Greek mythology. All central Asia from Iran to Afghanistan has the use of Ferula as important spice in food and as an essential ingredient for home remedies. Although the smell of fresh asafetida does not seem to qualify as a valuable food enhancement, but after frying (and in small dosage) the taste becomes pleasant.

Asafoetida or asafoetida (Devil's Dung) is dried latex (oleo-gum-resin) exuded from the living rhizome, rootstock or taproot of an umbelliferous plant of varied species. Being a unique blend of finest ingredients, Indian asafoetida from Kashmir enjoys an exalted position in the international market.
Commercially, Indian asafoetida comes in three forms on the basis of quality:
1.Tears
2.Mass
3.Paste

Another classification names two varieties on the basis of place of origin, flavor and color:
1.Hing
2.Hingra

Asafoetida is a popular spice in Europe since the Roman times and a much-preferred spice of the Middle Ages. All over Persia and India, people who do not prefer to eat onion and garlic make asafoetida an essential ingredient of their cuisine and hence it is used as an alternative or substitute for onion and garlic in almost all vegetable dishes.

A pea-sized amount is considered to be large or sufficient to add the asafoetida flavor to a large pot of food whereas powdered asafoetida is less intense and can be without frying. The aroma of this spice is less when used in powdered form but the resin has a non-perishable fragrance. The resin is strongly scented and must be fried shortly in hot oil. The reason being that the resin dissolves in the hot fat and gets better dispersed in the food and the high temperature changes the taste to a more pleasant impression. If used with sufficient moderation, asafetida enhances mushroom and vegetable dishes but can also be used to give fried or barbecued meat a unique flavor.

Name in International Languages Persian: Angustha- Gandha French: Ferule Asafoetida German: Stinkendes steckenkraut Arabic: Tyib, Haltheeth Sindhi: Vaghakkyani, Vagharni Hindi: Hing