A-Z Challenge 2014: 'A' for Asafoetida

Asafoetida is available in the form of a gum as well as powder. Asafoetida or Hing (हिंग) is used in Indian cooking and has a powerful flavour that one needs to get used to. It’s excellent for digestion and adds a special aroma to Indian curries. Drinking a glass of buttermilk with a pinch of Hing powder after a heavy dinner aids digestion.

It also acts as a coolant and is used liberally in mango & lemon pickles in South India. Usually, in Tamil Nadu, we avoid combining Asafoetida and Onions in the same dish as they beat each other’s flavours.

Asafoetida also has a number of useful side effects. It builds body resistance and keeps the regular user free from cold and fever.

ASAFOETIDA
Pic Courtesy: http://www.sunstarinvestments.co.za
Wikipedia says : Asafoetida is the dried gum exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, a perennial herb. The species is native to the deserts of Iran, 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. It is also known as asant, food of the gods, giant fennel, jowani badian, stinking gum, Devil's dung, hing, kayam and ting.