Asafoetida
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Asafoetida (
Asafoetida has a pungent smell, as reflected in its name, lending it the common name of "stinking gum". The odour dissipates upon cooking; in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavour reminiscent of leeks or other onion relatives. Asafoetida is also known colloquially as "devil's dung" in English (and similar expressions in many other languages).
Etymology and other names
The English name is derived from asa, a latinised form of Persian azā 'mastic', and Latin foetidus 'stinky'.[2]
Other names include, with its pungent odour having resulted in many unpleasant names:
Language | Name | Literal meaning/Notes |
---|---|---|
Afrikaans | duiwelsdrek | Devil's dirt |
Arabic |
ḥiltīt[3] | |
Assamese | hiṅ (হিং) | |
Bengali | hiṅ (হিং) | |
Burmese | shein-kho (ရှိန်းခို) | |
Dutch | duivelsdrek[4] | |
English | Devil's dung | |
Persian |
Anghoze | |
Finnish | pirunpaska | Devil's shit |
Finnish | pirunpihka | Devil's resin |
French | merde du Diable[4] | Devil shit |
German | Teufelsdreck,[5] | Devil's dirt |
Gujarati | hīṅg (હિંગ)[1] | |
Hebrew | chiltit (חלתית)[6] | |
Hebrew | chitt[7] | |
Hindi | hīṅg (हींग) | |
Kannada |
ingu (ಇಂಗು) | |
Kashmiri | yang’eh (ینگہہ) | |
Kashubian | czarcé łajno | chort dung |
Malayalam |
kāyaṃ (കായം) | called raamadom in the 14th century |
Marathi | hinga (हिंग) | |
Nepali | hing (हिङ्ग) | |
Norwegian | dyvelsdrek | Devil's dirt |
Odia | hengu (ହେଙ୍ଗୁ) | |
Pashto | hënjâṇa (هنجاڼه)[8] | |
Polish | czarcie łajno | chort dung |
Swedish | dyvelsträck | Devil's dirt |
Tamil | perunkayam (பெருங்காயம்) | |
Telugu | inguva (ఇంగువ) | |
Turkish | Şeytan boku[4] | Satan's shit |
Turkish | Şeytan otu[4] | Satan's weed |
Turkish | Şeytan tersi[4] | |
Urdu | hīṅg (ہینگ) |
Composition
Typical asafoetida contains about 40–64% resin, 25%
Botanical sources
Many Ferula species are utilised as the sources of asafoetida. Most of them are characterised by abundant sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[12][11]
- Ferula foetida is the source of asafoetida in Eastern Iran, western Afghanistan, western Pakistan and Central Asia (Karakum Desert, Kyzylkum Desert).[13][14] It is one of the most widely distributed asafoetida-producing species and often mistaken for F. assa-foetida.[13] It has sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[11]
- Ferula assa-foetida is endemic to Southern Iran and is the source of asafoetida there. It has sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[12][11] Although it is often considered the main source of asafoetida on the international market, this notion is attributable to the fact that several Ferula species acting as the major sources are often misidentified as F. assa-foetida.[13][15] In fact, the production of asafoetida from F. assa-foetida is confined to its native range, namely Southern Iran, outside which the sources of asafoetida are other species.[11][14][16]
- Ferula pseudalliacea and Ferula rubricaulis endemic to western and southwestern Iran are sometimes considered conspecific with F. assa-foetida.[13][15]
- Ferula lutensis is the source of asafoetida in Eastern Iran.[11][14] It has sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[11]
- Ferula alliacea is the source of asafoetida in Eastern Iran.[14] It has sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[11]
- Ferula latisecta is the source of asafoetida in Eastern Iran and southern Turkmenistan.[14] It has sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[12]
- Ferula sinkiangensis is endemic to Xinjiang, China. It is the source of asafoetida in China.[17] It has sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[12]
- Ferula fukanensis is endemic to Xinjiang, China. It is the source of asafoetida in China.[17] It has sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[12]
- Ferula narthex is native to Afghanistan, northern Pakistan and Kashmir.[13] Although it is often listed as the source of asafoetida, one report stated that it lacked sulphur-containing compounds in the essential oil.[18]
Uses
Cooking
This spice is used as a digestive aid,[
In its pure form, it is sold in the form of chunks of resin, small quantities of which are scraped off for use. The odour of the pure resin is so strong that the pungent smell will contaminate other spices stored nearby if it is not stored in an airtight container.[20]
When adapting recipes for those with garlic allergy or intolerance, asafoetida can be used as a substitute.
Cultivation and manufacture
The resin-like gum comes from the dried sap extracted from the stem and roots, and is used as a spice. The resin is greyish-white when fresh, but dries to a dark amber colour. The asafoetida resin is difficult to grate and is traditionally crushed between stones or with a hammer. Today, the most commonly available form is compounded asafoetida, a fine powder containing 30% asafoetida resin, along with rice flour or maida (white wheat flour) and gum arabic.[citation needed]
Ferula assa-foetida is a
History
Asafoetida was familiar in the early
Asafoetida is also mentioned numerous times in Jewish literature, such as the Mishnah.[23] Maimonides also writes in the Mishneh Torah "In the rainy season, one should eat warm food with much spice, but a limited amount of mustard and asafoetida [חִלְתִּית chiltit]."[24]
While it is generally forgotten now in Europe, it is widely used in India. Asafoetida is mentioned in the
Asafoetida was described by a number of Arab and Islamic scientists and pharmacists.
After the fall of Rome and until the 16th century, asafoetida was rare in Europe, and if ever encountered, it was viewed as a medicine. "If used in cookery, it would ruin every dish because of its dreadful smell", asserted Garcia de Orta's European guest. "Nonsense", Garcia replied, "nothing is more widely used in every part of India, both in medicine and in cookery." During the Italian Renaissance, asafoetida was used as part of the exorcism ritual.[28]
See also
- Ammoniacum
- Chaat masala
- Durian, a fruit with a pungent odour many find disagreeable
- Muskroot
- South Asian pickle
- Turmeric
References
- ^ "asafœtida". Oxford English Dictionary second edition. Oxford University Press. 1989. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ISBN 978-3-447-04503-2.
- PMID 23055640.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-57959-060-4.
- ^ Thomas Carlyle's well-known 19th century novel Sartor Resartus concerns a German philosopher named Teufelsdröckh.
- ^ ben Jehiel, Nathan (1553). ספר הערוך [Sefer he-ʻArukh] (in Hebrew). Venice: Frentsuni-Bragadin.
- ^ ben Jehiel, Nathan (1553). ספר הערוך [Sefer he-ʻArukh] (in Hebrew). Venice: Frentsuni-Bragadin.
- ^ Pashto–English Dictionary
- ISBN 1-85573-299-8. More information about the composition, p. 395.
- PMID 23055640.
- ^ S2CID 224886254.
- ^ S2CID 86139520.
- ^ a b c d e Chamberlain, David F (1977). "The identity of Ferula assa-foetida L." Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. 35 (2): 229–233.
- ^ S2CID 204814018.
- ^ ISSN 0024-4074.
- .
- ^ OCLC 953251657.
- S2CID 260252341.
- ^ Sarda, Shalbha (2023-01-12). "Devil's dung or dinner delight? The story behind hing, one of India's most divisive ingredients". CNN. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ K, Priya (September 12, 2018). "Asafetida Is the Spice That Makes My Indian Food Taste, Well, Indian". Bon Appétit. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-58829-129-5.
- ISBN 0-520-23674-2
- ^ m. Avodah Zarah ch. 1; m. Shabbat ch. 20; et al.
- ^ Mishneh Torah, Laws of Opinions (Hilchot Deot) 4:8.
- ISBN 0415927463.
- ^ "Why no onions or garlic?". food.krishna.com. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-871031-67-6
- ^ Menghi, Girolamo. The Devil's Scourge: Exorcism During the Italian Renaissance. p. 151.