Hing or Asafoetida = हिँग या हिङग Ferula assafoetida Family: Umbelliferae Hingis prepared from the root juice of the plant of Asafoetida orFerula assafoetida from http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/generic_frame.html?Feru_ass.html Used plant part The milk juice (obtained from the root), which becomes a brown, resin-like mass after drying. Plant family Apiaceae (parsley family). Sensory quality Very strong smell, rather repugnant, remotely similar to (not altogether fresh) garlic. Main constituents Dried asafetida consists mostly of a resin (25 to 60% of the total mass, 60% of which are esters of ferula acid) and a complex carbohydrate part (25 to 30%). The essential oil (10%) contains a wealth of sulfur compounds, mainly (R)-2-butyl-1-propenyl disulphide (50%), 1-(1-methylthiopropyl) 1-propenyl disulphide and 2-butyl-3-methylthioallyl disulphide. Furthermore, di-2-butyl trisulphide, 2-butyl methyl trisulphide, di-2-butyl disulphide and even di-2-butyl tetrasulphide have been found. (Phytochemistry, 23, 899, 1984) The essential oil contains also some terpenes (α-pinene, phellandrenes) and hendecylsulphonyl acetic acid. Ethers of sesquiterpenes with coumarins have also been identified (farnesiferoles). Origin Various species of genus Ferula grow wild from the Eastern Mediterranean to Central Asia. Most important as spice is F. assa-foetida, although one reads occasionally about other species (F. persica, F. alliacea, F. foetida and F. narthex) as inferior substitutes or adulterations. All these species are native to Central Asia (Iran to Afghanistan) and are, to my knowledge, not cultivated anywhere else. Ferula asafoetida/assa-foetida: Young asafetida plant Young asafetida plant Ferula assa-foetida/asafoetida: Flowering plant Flowering plant Galbanum is the dried latex from a related species (Ferula galbaniflua) also native to Central Asia (Iran). Galbanum has an aromatic, pleasant odour and is mainly used for incenses. See mahaleb cherry for an explanation of the name galbanum. Etymology The Latin name ferula means ?carrier? or ?vehicle?; a related species (F. vulgaris), native to the Mediterranean, is mentioned in the Greek mythology as the plant that helped Prometheus to carry the stolen fire from the Sun to the Earth. It has been suggested that stone-age nomad tribes might have indeed used the hollow stems to transport fire between their camps. The same Latin root appears in the botanical name of mango. The species name assa-foetida is made up of elements from two languages: Assa is a latinized form of Farsi aza [آزا] ?resin, mastic?, and Latin foetidus means ?smelling, fetid?. The modern Farsi name angozad [انگژد] or anguze [انگوژه] derives from ang [انگ] ?gum; sap? and zad [ژد] ?resin?. The first element ang is also found in the names of asafetida in many Indic languages, e.g., Hindi hing [हींग]. Some very picturesque names (German Teufelsdreck, French merde du diable, Swedish dyvelstr?ck and Turkish şeytan tersi), all meaning more or less politely ?dung of devil?, exemplify the small enthusiasm this unusual spice meets outside the regions of its traditional usage. Latvian drīveldriķis is an obsolete pharmaceutical term probably loaned from a Northern Germanic language; there is also a Latvian calque velna sūds ?devil's shit?. Selected Links The Epicentre: Asafoetida Nature One Health: Galbanum INDU-Versand Nature One Health: Asafetida Una sostanza favolosa: Assa Fetida (gianniferretti.it) From Silphium to Asafoetida: A Tale of Two Ancient Spices Recipe: Lentil Dhal [दाल] (recipesource.com) Recipe: Sundal Varieties (Indian Legume Recipes) (www.chennaionline.com) Ferula asafoetida/assa-foetida: Asafetida flower Asafetida flowers www.ibiblio.org/herbmed ? Henriette Kress The horrible smell of fresh asafetida indeed justifies the name ?devil's dung?; when I first heard of asafetida's culinary use, I suspected that the person claiming that asafetida was a spice in Indian cooking was pulling my leg (I knew the smell from previous experience). Nevertheless, it's true, and today, asafetida is one of my favourite spices. More than two millennia ago, asafetida was already in use in Europe: Legend has it that it was encountered by the soldiers of Alexander the Great on their march through Central Asia. The conquests of Alexander opened trade routes that made Eastern commodities available in the Mediterranean region, and like black pepper, asafetida established itself quickly on the new market. It was used in ancient Greek and Roman cuisines, often as a substitute for the expensive North African silphion. After the latter's extinction, asafetida became even more common, and continued to be used though the early Middle Ages (for example, to flavour barbecued mutton in France). Later, however, its popularity ceased: After the 16.th century, it is no more mentioned in European cookbooks. Ferula asafoetida/assa-foetida: Sterile devil's dung Sterile asafetida plant (spring shoots) Ferula assa-foetida/asafoetida: Asafetida flower Asafetida blossoms shortly before bloom Ferula assa-foetida: Hing plant Asafoetida plant in flower In Central Asia and India, however, asafetida has remained in important culinary spice and also herbal medicine to this day. It is much used in Persian cooking, and especially popular in India. In some parts of the country (notably, Bengal; see nigella about some peculiarities of Bengali cooking), the brahmins refuse to eat onions and garlic and often use asafetida instead. Also in the cuisines of other North Indian places, it is not common to combine asafetida with either garlic or onion, even if no taboo applies to the latter. In the Dravidian South, asafetida is even more popular. The Tamil (South Indian) spice mixture sambaar podi (see cumin) frequently contains asafetida. Although exceptions exist, asafetida has the reputation of being a spice for vegetables, not meats; now vegetarianism is more common in South India than in the North, which probably explains why asafetida is so much associated with South India, although its natural habitat lies in the North. Asafetida is a good example for the overlapping of culinary and medicinal use of a plant. Particularly in South India, asafetida is almost canonical for the preparation of legumes (beans, peas, lentils), which are collectively known as dal [दाल] in India. Dal is a chief element of the Indian diet, as it is not only a cheap source of protein, but also one of the few protein sources open to vegetarians. Moreover, dried legumes are easy to store and have a long shelf life. However, being rich in indigestible oligosaccharids, they call for spices with prominent antiflatulence action. Asafetida, garlic and cumin are commonly used to make dal both more tasty and less cumbersome. Other countries have their own indigenous spices with similar medicinal properties, e.g., savory in Europe and epazote in M?xico; both herbs contain strongly disinfecting components in their essential oils. Usage of asafetida differs a little bit for the powdered form and the pure resin. The resin is very strongly scented and must be used with care; furthermore, it is absolutely necessary to fry the resin quickly in hot oil (see also ajwain). This has two reasons: First, the resin dissolves in the hot fat and gets better dispersed in the food, and second, the high temperature changes the taste to a more pleasant impression. A pea-sized amount is considered a large amount, sufficient to flavour a large pot of food. Powdered asafetida, on the other hand, is less intense and may be added without frying, although then the aroma develops less deeply. Lastly, powdered asafetida loses its aroma after some years, but the resin seems to be imperishable (maybe, in some more ten years, I'll substitute seems in the last sentence by is). Daring cooks will find asafetida an interesting alternative to onion and garlic, even for Western dishes. Careful dosage is, though, essential; in ancient Rome, asafetida was stored in jars together with pine nuts, which were alone used to flavour delicate dishes. Another method is dissolving asafetida in hot oil and adding the oil drop by drop to the food. If used with sufficient moderation, asafetida enhances mushroom and vegetable dishes, but can also be used to give fried or barbecued meat a unique flavour. **************************************************************** from http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/asafetid.html asafetida Asafoetida Ferula assafoetida Fam: Umbelliferae Asafoetida gets its name from the Persian aza, for mastic or resin, and the Latin foetidus, for stinking. It is a gum that is from the sap of the roots and stem of the ferula species, a giant fennel that exudes a vile odour. Early records mention that Alexander the Great carried this ?stink finger? west in 4 BC. It was used as a spice in ancient Rome, and although not native to India, it has been used in Indian medicine and cookery for ages. It was believed that asafoetida enhanced singers voices. In the days of the Mughal aristocracy, the court singers if Agra and Delhi would eat a spoonful of asafoetida with butter and practice on the banks of the river Yamuna. Spice Description Asafoetida is a hard resinous gum, grayish-white when fresh, darkening with age to yellow, red and eventually brown. It is sold in blocks or pieces as a gum and more frequently as a fine yellow powder, sometimes crystalline or granulated. Bouquet: a pungent smell of rotting onions or sulfur. The smell dissipates with cooking. Flavour: on its own, extremely unpleasant, like concentrated rotten garlic. When cooked, it adds an onion-like flavour. Hotness Scale: 0 Preparation and Storage It is vital to keep asafoetida in airtight containers as its sulfurous odour will effect other foods and spices. It is most commonly available as a powder or granules that can be added directly to the cooking pot. It is also sold in lumps that need to be crushed before using. This is a very powerful spice and even in its ground state lasts well over a year if stored properly, away from light and air... Culinary Uses Use in minute quantities, adding directly to cooking liquid, frying in oil, or steeping in water. Asafoetida is used mostly in Indian vegetarian cooking, in which the strong onion-garlic flavour enhances many dishes, especially those of Brahmin and Jain castes where onions and garlic are prohibited. It is used mostly in south and west India, though it does not grow there. It is used in many lentil dishes (often to prevent flatulence), vegetarian soups and pickles. It is also suited to many fish dishes and some pappadums are seasoned with asafoetida. Attributed Medicinal Properties Asafoetida is known as an antidote for flatulence and is also prescribed for respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. Its vile smell has led to many unusual medical claims, mostly stemming from the belief that it?s foetid odour would act as a deterrent to germs. In several European countries a small piece of the resin would be tied on a string and hung around childrens necks to protect from disease. The shock of the sulfurous smell was once thought to calm hysteria and in the days of the American Wild West it was included in a mixture with other strong spices as a cure for alcoholism. Plant Description and Cultivation Asafoetida is grown chiefly in Iran and Afghanistan from where it is exported to the rest of the world. In India it is cultivated in Kashmir. It is a perennial fennel that grows wild to 3.6 metres (12 ft) high, in large natural forests where little else grows. It bears fine leaves and yellow flowers. The roots are thick and pulpy and also yield a similar resin to that of the stems. All parts of the plant have the distinctive fetid smell. In March and April, just before flowering, the stalks are cut close to the root. A milky liquid oozes out, which dries to form a resin. This is collected and a fresh cut is made. This procedure lasts for about three months from the first incision, by which time the plant has yielded up to two pounds of resin and the root has dried up. Other Names Asafetida, Assafetida, Assafoetida, Devil?s Dung, Devil?s Durt, Food of the Gods (Persian), Laser (Roman), Stinking Gum French: assa foetida, ferulr perisque German: Asafotida, Stinkender Asant Italian: assafetida Spanish: asafetida Afghan: kama-i-anguza Indian: hing, hingu, heeng Tamil: perunkaya