Asafoetida (Hing)

Asafoetida is one of the most crucial ingredient for seasoning my legumes like black eye beans, chick peas, butter beans and in a number of vegetable dishes such as sambhar and potato bhaji. It is considered to be a natural digestive and is used as an anti-flatulent. Asafoetida is a resin from a plant Ferula Asafoetadia and is a native to Persia. It has a pungent smell but after frying in a little oil it disappears. I use a pinch of this powder in my seasoning to enhance other flavours.