Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any cooking oil) 1 teaspoon hing (asafoetida powder) 1 teaspo

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Devil s Dung. Not exactly the most flattering description for something that is eaten with such relish in parts of the world. Stinking Gum? Not much better. Food for the Gods. Ah, now that s more like it.
Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida, family Apiaceae) is a species of Ferula native to Iran. It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 2 m tall, with stout, hollow, somewhat succulent stems 5-8 cm diameter at the base of the plant. The leaves are 30-40 cm long, tripinnate or even
An exciting, 16 kb pungent aroma wafts through from the kitchen. It tickles my nostrils and I take a deeper breath, marvelling at how the English and the Indians can use exactly the same ingredients and yet come up with a distinctly different taste in their respective dishes.
It is the Asafoetida, of course. There is something 16 kb about this herb that turns the plainest pabulum into a delectable pleasure. 16 kb Its power lies in the fact that just a few grains blended in at the right time can turn a culinary catastrophe into a gastronomic delight by adding a touch of the exotic and uncommon.
My first acquaintance with this herb was at my mother s knee. I was three and had a rollicking tummy ache. My insides felt like a rugby field during the last frenzied minutes of an exciting match. When even being swung to dizzying heights by my Dad failed to take my mind off the pain, Mum gently applied a moist cotton bud to my navel and asked me to lie down ramrod-straight on the bed. A heady smell drifted up from my belly button, and within a few minutes the perpetrator, namely too much gas, was fleeing 16 kb my body with much song and fanfare.
Unknown to me, I was already consuming this wonder of nature in my meals. Mum obviously used it generously in all possible curries and soups. But it took my sudden and utterly unaccountable interest in cooking during 16 kb my teenage years to bring the ubiquitous herb to the forefront of my consciousness and enthusiasm.
Called hing (pronounced heeing ) in Hindi, the powder of the asafoetida is one of the first ingredients to go into the cooking pot after oil. As soon as the oil is hot enough, a pinch of hing is sprinkled in. It immediately sizzles, turns a deep brown and discharges the fragrance that is the hallmark of all dishes Indian. Following this, cumin seeds ( jeera ) enhance the scent as well as the flavour, and the main vegetable is then added to this concoction, along with red chilli powder ( laal mirch ), turmeric powder ( haldi ) and salt ( namak ) to taste. Voila! Bon appétit.
Having read that in ancient times, asafoetida was considered to improve singers voices, I was eager to sample whether this spicy morsel of news was indeed true, so I went about the house after lunch hollering at the top of my lungs. Lamentably, my husband, a king among men but unable to appreciate the finer nuances of music, immediately forbade me to ever carry anything other than a tray, much less a tune. Asafoetida is a potent antidote for flatulence, and in India it is prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors for respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. 16 kb It is even said to cure hysteria. Although supposed 16 kb to be taken in minute quantities, at times I find myself getting greedy and adding a couple of heaping teaspoonfuls. This doesn t take away from anything, save for depleting my own reserves 16 kb of the herb. Asafoetida can usually be found in grocery stores that serve East Indian customers. Ostensibly the herb should be stored in airtight containers to avoid contaminating other spices with its strong odour. However, it is my belief that this has less to do with contamination and more to do with preservation. Most herbs and spices 16 kb lose their fragrance over time. Common sense therefore dictates that they should not be exposed to the air.
Known to attract wolves, 16 kb catfish and pikes and to deter germs, addictions and chefs, asafoetida is gradually making its appearance in more and more multicultural cuisines and being recognised for its many medicinal and epicurean qualities. As the pungent plant continues to tease the olfactory senses of the world, I d better get back to rehearsing my do re mi s. I have a point to prove.
Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any cooking oil) 1 teaspoon hing (asafoetida powder) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or black mustard seeds) 1 onion, diced teaspoon red chilli 16 kb powder teaspoon turmeric powder teaspoon salt (or to taste) 1 tomato, diced 2 potatoes, chopped small cauliflower, chopped 1