Asafoetida
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Also known in India as Hing. Derived from a species of giant fennel, asafoetida has a unique smell and flavor. It is called for often in Indian cooking, primarily with legumes and dishes featuring vegetables such as cauliflower. While on its own, the smell may strike you as overpowering and somewhat unpleasant, in cooking it mellows out and produces a result similar to onion and garlic. In India this ingredient is crucial for the Jains, who do not eat root crops. Asafeotida sap is mixed with gum Arabic, wheat, rice flower and turmeric to make a more easily used powder. Cuisine: Indian |