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Asafoetida

Pungent dried resin (hing) used by the pinch in hot oil to give dals and vegetables an onion-garlic savouriness.

Also called: hing, heeng

A kind of spices

78 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

What it is

Asafoetida (hing) is the dried resin of a giant fennel plant, usually sold as a yellow compounded powder mixed with flour or starch. Raw it smells strongly sulphurous; a pinch fried in hot oil mellows to a savoury, onion-and-garlic flavour. It is especially important in Jain and Brahmin cooking that avoids onion and garlic.

Ferula assa-foetida

How it’s used

  • Tadka for dals, sambar and rasam
  • Vegetable and lentil dishes
  • Pickles
  • Pakora and papad doughs

Characteristics

Aroma
Very pungent raw; savoury and onion-like once cooked.
When cooked
Add a pinch to hot fat for a second or two before other ingredients; it burns quickly.
Sold as
powder
Cooking uses
Used for tempering (tadka), Mainly a seasoning

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep tightly sealed, ideally in a jar inside another container, as the smell spreads to other foods.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions. May contain Wheat, Gluten — check the label.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free (check label)
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Compounded hing is commonly cut with wheat flour; look for gluten-free versions if needed.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Garlic powder — About ¼ tsp garlic and onion powder per pinch of hing; not suitable for diets avoiding alliums.

Related ingredients

Recipes with asafoetida

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