ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION Asafoetida is native to central Asia, eastern Iran to Afghanistan, and today it is grown chiefly in Iran and Afghanistan, from where it is exported to the rest of the world. It is not native to India, but has been used in Indian medicine and cookery for ages.
Where does asafoetida come from in India?
According to Ashok Kumar, hing grows wild and abundantly in the mountainous terrains of Iran and Afghanistan. Hing cultivation is possible in cold and dry climes such as Ladakh and parts of Uttarakhand, besides Himachal Pradesh.
Which country is famous for asafoetida?
Asafoetida is endemic to Iran and Afghanistan, the main global suppliers. It thrives in dry and cold desert conditions. While it is very popular in India, some European countries too use it for its medicinal properties.
Who brought asafoetida to India?
Meet the hing kings, who brought the spice to India over a century ago.
Which part of plant is used for making asafoetida?
Asafoetida is obtained chiefly from the plant Ferula assa-foetida of the carrot family Apiaceae. The whole plant is used as a fresh vegetable, the inner portion of the full-grown stem being regarded as a delicacy.
Which city is famous for hing in India?
Hathras has been a large scale producer of Asafoetida or hing for the last 100 years. This has given the district a distinct identity.
Which country is the largest producer of asafoetida?
Major producing countries: Afghanistan, Iran, Turkistan. Ferula gum-resins are imported to India, mainly from Iran and Afghanistan.
Why asafoetida is called Devil’s dung?
As its name suggests, asafoetida has a fetid smell and a nauseating taste; characteristics that also burdened it with the name devil’s dung. In the middle Ages, a small piece of the gum was worn around the neck to ward off diseases such as colds and fevers.
Who invented asafoetida?
Ibn al-Baitar and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi described some positive medicinal effects on the respiratory system. After the fall of Rome, until the 16th century, asafoetida was rare in Europe, and if ever encountered, it was viewed as a medicine.
What is asafoetida called in English?
Hing, however, was something entirely new to me. Europeans gave it the decidedly unflattering moniker “devil’s dung.” Even its more common English name, asafoetida, is derived from the Latin for fetid. Those unaccustomed to it can respond negatively to its strong aroma, a mix of sulfur and onions.
What is asafoetida called in India?
Hing
What Is Hing? Hing or heeng is the Hindi word for asafetida (sometimes spelled asafoetida). It’s also been known as the devil’s dung and stinking gum, as well as asant, food of the gods, jowani badian, hengu, ingu, kayam, and ting.
Is asafoetida a drug?
Asafoetida is a plant that has a bad smell and tastes bitter. It is sometimes called “devil’s dung.” People use asafoetida resin, a gum-like material, as medicine. Asafoetida resin is produced by solidifying juice that comes out of cuts made in the plant’s living roots.
How was hing discovered?
Alexander’s army came across the Ferula Asafoetida plant while crossing over the Hindu Kush mountains into India, and the Hindu Kush — Afghanistan and Iran — has been the cradle of this remarkable spice, known as ‘hing’ in Hindi.
How many types of asafoetida are there?
There are two main varieties of asafoetida ie. Hing Kabuli Sufaid (Milky white asafoetida) and Hing Lal (Red asafoetida). Asafoetida is acrid and bitter in taste and emits a strong disagreeable pungent odour due to the presence of sulphur compounds therein.
Is asafoetida good for heart?
As a result, antioxidants may also help protect against chronic inflammation, heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes ( 7 , 8 ). Specifically, asafoetida has been shown to contain high amounts of phenolic compounds, such as tannins and flavonoids, which are known for their potent antioxidant effects (6, 9 ).
How is asafoetida prepared?
- Heeng is a popular addition to most dal tadkas around the country.
- Hing (Asafoetida) is a spice which is extracted from Ferula Assa-Foetida;
- It is a resin like gum which is extracted from dried sap of the stem.
Why hing is so costly?
Raw asafoetida is extracted from the roots of the Ferula asafoetida plant as an oleo-gum resin. The plant stores most of its nutrients inside its deep fleshy roots. A single Ferula plant yields just about 500 grams of sap (concentrated heeng resin), which is why it is expensive.
Which is strongest hing?
MDH’s Hing is our Top Pick. It added the best flavor to our dal. It is also the most pungent one amongst all the contenders. Native to Iran and Afghanistan, asafoetida is a spice that is obtained from the resin of the Ferula assa-foetida plant and is known for its extremely pungent smell.
Which hing is pure?
Khrishika 100% Pure Hing (10 g)
Which state is famous for hing?
He said Hing is one of the best plant spices to be cultivated in sub Himalayan region of northern part of India specifically from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and some hilly parts of Bihar states.
Why is hing not grown in India?
Hing can only grow in very cold and certain geo-climatic regions such as Ladakh and Lahaul-Spiti. Before this, it was only being imported from countries like Afghanistan and Iran.” Abhishek Purwar, a Kanpur-based importer of hing, says, “Asafoetida is like gold! It is expensive.
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