asafoetida

الوصف

This giant fennel, native to Iran and Afghanistan, provides a resin that is widely used in Indian cuisine and in ayurvedic medicine. This resin is sold in three forms: resin droplets or nuggets, pure powdered asafoetida, and most commonly "hing powder", asafoetida cut to *0% with rice flour and gum arabic. The photo is of pure powdered asafoetida.

Asafoetida was first reported to Europe by Alexander the Great who declared it inferior to silphium from North Africa, particularly due to the offensive sulfurous smell - very like that of SAE *0 weight Hypoid Gear Oil. Unfortunately, due to poor resource management Laser became extinct during the Roman Empire leaving them to use asafoetida or do without (unthinkable).

Today asafoetida is widely used in the cuisines of India, particularly by those sects and castes to whom onions, garlic and all their relatives are forbidden by religious decree. It does not taste the same but lends a similar sophistication of flavor to dishes it is used in (onions are also high in sulphur).