Asafoetida or 'Hing' as it is known in the India subcontinent, is a resin gum that is derived from perennial plants often from Persia now Iran. Asafoetida is considered to have good medicinal properties, especially for indigestion and flatulence. It is widely used to induce an 'umami' flavor to the dish and can be used in making lentils and curries more fragrant and flavorful like 'sambhar' a staple from the souther part of India to delicacies from eastern part of India like 'pabda maccher hingi' fish curry made with asafoetida or the fragrant and super delicious 'hinger kochuri' flatbread recipe with asafoetida. Legend has it that the quality of asafoetida 'hing' is determined by how strong or pungent is the aroma of asafoetida 'hing' in the home while making a tempering.
*Due to operational reasons asafoetida will be shipped in glass jars.