Description
What is Aachi Asafoetida Powder made of? Hing comes from the resin of giant fennel plants that grow wild in Afghanistan and Iran. The resin can be kept pure, but in the States, you mostly find it ground to a powder and mixed with wheat. There is some scientific evidence that the chemicals in asafoetida might help treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and also might protect against high blood levels of certain fats including cholesterol and triglycerides. Chemicals called coumarins in asafoetida can thin the blood. What does asafoetida taste like? When ground and cooked with food, hing releases potent sulfur compounds that smell a lot like garlic and onions. Its flavor is distinctly savory, like an all-natural Indian MSG, and among Jains, whose diets forbid alliums like garlic, hing is as important a flavor enhancer as salt.
