what is the purpose of using asafoetida in Indian cooking?
I bought some because I’m trying to make proper Indian curries with the right spices, and I’ve been seeing asafoetida in recipes; but it doesn’t seem to taste of anything. Just wondered what purpose it serves?
I may be asking this at the wrong time as I imagine most Indians are in bed now!
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4 comments a “what is the purpose of using asafoetida in Indian cooking?”
I am a former chef from Canada and do alot of Indian cuisine as I am a vegetarian, and have many friend who run Indian restaurants, first of all it is used to de-gas some dals and other pulses, in veg dishes it allows the structure to be broken down better like with eggplant and okra dishes.
It is used very sparingly, as a final addition, ask any Indian cook or housewife and it is an essential cooking ingredient, I have it in 2 forms, powder preparation and in its natural state as a block of the original resin, and grate it into the dal and other bean dishes I make, in Channa dal it brings out the flavour, and others it just smooths them out.
It adds an oniony/garlickiness to dishes, and also helps (like salt, sugar & MSG) to “heighten” the natural flavors in whatever you cook it into…
Asafoetida (Hing) is the strongest in sulfur. It adds the strongest pungency similar to Garlic.
Ayurveda healing considers this as an antibiotic and reduce inflammation.
Good quality Hing is sold as a sap that needs to fried before use. Nowadays, you can buy the powder. Perhaps, the powder you bought is out of date so the pungency is gone.
By the way, some segments of Hindu soceity (especially Jain) do not eat Garlic or Onion. Hing acts as a substitute to give comparable flavor
I am also a chef from Canada and I own an Indian restaurant. The answers above a all very good. I only have one thing to add. Some religious groups in India refrain from using garlic and will use asafoetida instead. If I am not mistaken this practice is common in Kashmir.
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