Asafoetida has a pungent, unpleasant smell when raw, but when cooked it delivers a smooth flavour similar to leek or sautéed onion. It is made from the dried white resinous sap extracted from a variety of giant fennel which is difficult to handle, so starch is added to make it more manageable. Yellow Asafoetida is blended with turmeric and is used in Indian vegetarian cooking and low FODMAP diets.
Get inspired & learn how to use Asafoetida (Ground) in your home.
It made a world of difference to our fodmap cooking, finally some flavour within our restricted diets.
Finally a substitute for onion.
Never tried this but keep seeing it pop up in Indian recipes. Added it to my split pea curry …. The X factor I was hoping it would be. Definitely getting another jar when I have emptied this one
Awesome spice and a wonderful tasty replacement for garlic is pretty much everything without the garlic breath. Winner. Great quality too
An excellent alternative to garlic and/or onion, and widely used in Indian cookery, I call this spice 'transformative'. Also known as 'hing', asafoetida is fried in oil/ghee/butter etc at the start of cooking for around 30 seconds, and the pungent aroma turns into the most amazing fragrance. Perfect if you don't like the after-effects of garlic or onion, or if you follow a FODMAP diet. A staple in my kitchen; you must give it a try if you've never used it before.
Can also be used in addition to onion/garlic for extra flavour.
I also use this very sparingly in complex salad dressings.
