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Asafoetida

Pure Asafoetida – India

Asafoetida – Indian Spice

Coming from wild collection

Asafoetida, assa fetida or assa foetida is an Indian spice, widely used in both Indian cuisine and Ayurveda for its important properties. It is also known as stinking fennel, or devil’s dung, all names that refer to its smell. In reality, asafoetida is a natural gum resin that comes from the plant Ferula asafoetida, a plant native to Persia belonging to the Umbelliferae family, obtained from the solidified latex of the roots. Its name comes from Latin, meaning “root that emits a bad odor”

This plant was already used by the ancient Romans, although its use in European cuisine decreased after the Middle Ages. Today it has returned to the spotlight in the West thanks to its properties. In India, asafoetida is one of the basic ingredients of masalas and curries.

Asafoetida is often sold in powder form, but since it is very difficult to store in this form, it is often mixed with other powdered spices like fenugreek. On Terza Luna, you can find asafoetida for sale in dried resin grains, to be minced at the time of use.

Aroma and Flavor

Asafoetida has a very intense aroma, which almost resembles sulfur, but disappears during cooking. Its flavor, on the other hand, resembles that of garlic and onion, but slightly spicy. It is widely used in Indian cuisine to enhance the taste of various dishes.

Asafoetida: Use in Cooking

In Indian cuisine, asafoetida is one of the most used spices. Asafoetida in powder or resin grains is particularly used in braised dishes, such as curries and masalas, soups, rice dishes and legumes, but also added to season vegetables, like ratatouille, or create sauces. It is often used together with turmeric, as together they improve the digestibility of many ingredients, such as legumes.

Asafoetida: Properties

Asafoetida has antispasmodic, carminative, emmenagogic, and vermifuge properties, and is used to treat hay fever asthma. It is also an antiviral, and is used for its digestive properties, as it helps eliminate intestinal gas and flatulence, and is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome. Asafoetida is one of the most beloved spices in Ayurveda, precisely because it is a remedy for relieving constipation, cramps and intestinal pain, constipation, and flatulence.

Asafoetida: Where to Buy?

Asafoetida is obtained from the extraction of the milky liquid found in the plant’s roots, the resin, which is dried until it becomes hard. Asafoetida is often found on the market added to other spices or to rice flour or gum arabic, as it is very difficult to store in powder form. On Terza Luna, however, you can find pure asafoetida in dried resin grains.