Asafoetida

Even small amounts of asafoetida give a comforting onion-garlic flavour, which is especially good in vegetarian dishes, curries and stews – almost anywhere you would use onion and/or garlic.

Tiny amounts give a gentle lift to fish, egg or cheese dishes where onion would be too coarse or bulky. That includes in salads and salad dressings, too.

Asafoetida is also a natural defeater of intestinal wind, and that alone recommends it for inclusion in any and everything that includes lentils or beans.

Try it in a paneer with broccoli & sesame dish, or Gujarati cabbage with coconut.

How to store asafoetida

It's best to keep asafoetida sealed in an airtight container to prevent the smell spreading through your home.

Asafoetida’s degree of pungency is directly proportionate to its freshness, as its volatile oil escapes easily and the essence then fades. Take great care storing it and replace often if you use it regularly.

Availability of asafoetida

Easily available online, from bigger supermarkets and from Indian spice stockists, where it is known as ‘hing’.

Choose the best asafoetida

Asafoetida comes in two main forms.

The brown powder is the full-strength dried gum that's been ground; it's extremely pungent and must be used in very, very small amounts.

It's easier to use it as a yellow powder, when it's been diluted with flour or rice flour and turmeric, but should still be used scantly. Different producers temper it differently, so check the packaging for directions.

The real thing is red-brown lumps of different sizes, but you're unlikely to encounter it.