Asafoetida

In its natural form this Indian spice is a resin with a strong and unpleasant smell. The Persian, ‘asa’, refers to the resin-like gum, taken from sap extracted from the plant’s stem and roots. The Latin, ‘foetida’, indicates the spice’s unpleasant sulphurous odour.

 

Asafoetida

Known for its unusual scent, asafoetida imparts an onion-y flavour to cooking, and is thought to aid digestion and reduce flatulence. Try it in lentil dishes or sprinkle on fish or meat before grilling.

Asafoetida recipes:

Corn chaat

Sambhar

Carrot, onion and spinach bhajis

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