Asafetida is a pungent spice used in Indian cooking. It has a very distinctive smell and tastes just as bad. But why is it called the kitchen antiseptic?
According to Dr. Dhanraj, asafetida or hing helps relieve stomach pain, gas, and bloating. It does this by acting on the nervous system. It also helps relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Hing works like a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). This inhibits the secretion of acid in the stomach.
Asafetida can also be taken for asthma and bronchitis symptoms. It relieves spasms in the bronchial tubes. This makes breathing easier. It is also an expectorant. That means it helps clear mucus from the respiratory tract.
When added to vegetable dishes, it acts as an antioxidant and reduces flatulence. Cooking with hing can help reduce your risk of developing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma!**
The herb Asafoetida is a perennial plant that grows to 2 m in height. It has long linear leaves and small yellow flowers. The roots of the plant are used as a spice, medicinal herb and insecticide.
It is widely used in Indian cuisine to add flavor to curries, lentils and pickles. But another great thing about this plant is that it is also used as an air freshener! Asafetida (Hing) is called the “Kitchen Antiseptic” because it can clear out bad smells from the kitchen and the room.
Insect Repellent
Asafetida has a pungent smell which repels insects. It can be applied directly on clothes or mixed with camphor and kept in a closed box for use. Or it can also be mixed with water, strained and sprayed on clothes before drying as a repellent.
Antiseptic
Asafetida (Hing) is also used in medicine as an antiseptic for open wounds. It can be mixed with water, strained and applied directly on wounds for relief from pain. People suffering from epilepsy should avoid using it as it aggravates their condition.
Asafetida is a natural gum and is taken from the root of a plant. It is also known as devil’s dung, stinking gum, food of the gods, jowani badian, hing and ting. Asafetida has been used since ancient times as a medicinal herb and was also used as a food preservative and flavouring agent.
Asafetida has anti-fungal properties and can be used for the treatment of various skin problems. The ancient Romans used it for embalming and in modern times it is used to flavour foods such as pickles and meats. In ayurvedic medicine, it is used to treat asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. This herb is full of medicinal properties which are listed below:
Antiseptic
Asafetida contains antiseptic properties which help in healing wounds quickly. The antiseptic properties kill bacteria on the surface of the wound, thus preventing inflammation and pus formation.
Anti-flatulent
Asafetida contains carminative properties that help in treating flatulence (excess gas). It helps in reducing pain caused due to excessive gas in the stomach or intestines. It also stimulates better digestion by increasing bile production
The spice is known as the “food of the gods” in India and has been used for centuries in home remedies, to treat flatulence and indigestion.
Asafetida is a perennial herb which is also known as devil’s dung or stinking gum. It is harvested from the roots of a plant native to Afghanistan, and its strong smell comes from sulfur compounds.
The spice has been used for centuries throughout Asia and Europe, both as a cooking ingredient and an antiseptic. It was even mentioned by the Greek physician Hippocrates, who prescribed it for ailments ranging from menstrual pain to earaches.
In Indian cuisine, it is used for flavoring lentil dishes and curries, usually in small quantities since too much can have a laxative effect! The spice is also added to pickles and chutneys, though only a tiny pinch to ensure that its characteristic odor does not overpower other ingredients. In Iran, it is frequently added to meat dishes.
Asafoetida can be found in most Indian grocery stores. It comes in powdered form or as a lump of resin, which should be grated before use.
The spice loses much of its flavor when cooked, so it is generally added at the beginning of the
Asafetida is a gum extract that comes from several types of giant fennel plants. It’s used in Indian cooking and has a strong onion/garlic flavor. Asafetida is known as hing in Hindi, inguva (ఇంగువ) in Telugu, ingu (ಇಂಗು) in Kannada and perungayam (பெருங்கை) in Tamil.
Asafetida is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb (1). It is a herbaceous plant growing to 2 meters (7 feet) tall, with stout, hollow, somewhat succulent stems. The leaves are 30–40 centimeters long, with wide sheathing petioles. The flowers are yellow, produced in large compound umbels. The fruit is an oblong dry schizocarp 3–7 millimeters long.
Asafoetida has a pungent smell,
In this article, I will explain the method of making Hing water at home and how to use it. Asafetida is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula (three of which grow in India), which is a perennial herb (1). It is a herb that has been used as a food ingredient and also in medicine since ancient times.
It is commonly known as Hing or Heeng in Hindi, Inguva in Telugu, Kayam in Malayalam, Perungayam in Tamil, Ingou in Marathi, Hingu in Gujarati and Hingula in Sanskrit.
Asafoetida contains sulfur compounds (mostly 2-butylpropenyl disulfide), gum, resin and volatile oil. The gum is 41% to 63% and volatile oil ranges from 0.17% to 2.6%. The gum consists of 16% glucose, 5% fructose and 3% galactose. It contains 28% protein and 5% ash.
The herb has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties (2). It is antihelmintic too i.e.,
The name asafetida derives from the Persian aza (mastic or resin) and Latin foetidus (smelly). This is because of its strong odour, which has been compared to that of rotten eggs. Asafetida also goes by the names ferula, devil’s dung, food of the gods, giant fennel, jowani badian, stinking gum, hing and ting.
There are many medicinal uses for asafetida–it has anti-flatulent properties and is often used to treat asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. In Ayurveda it is said to alleviate Vata imbalances. It is recommended for female reproductive system concerns such as dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea when taken with hot water. Topically it can be applied to insect bites in order to relieve itching and swelling.
Asafoetida powder is mixed with rice flour or besan (gram flour) and then fried in oil or ghee to make a savory snack called samosa patti. The flour can also be mixed with water to make a paste that can be spread on bread.
