Does anyone know where I can get this culinary herb? PLEASE
AESFETEDA
Could this be what you are looking for?
asafetida [ah-sah-FEH-teh-dah] = asafoetida powder = asafoetida = hing = devil's dung = ferula = foetida = food of the gods = heeng = imguva This powdered gum resin imparts a very strong onion-garlic flavor to Indian dishes. Use it sparingly—a little goes a long way.
As this is an indian spice, you may want to contact some of the Indian members of this site. There's 1,380 of them!
Will do. Thanks
Horizon Herbs carries it too. I think Sand Mountain Herbs carries seeds as well.
Betty,
Thanks but I could not find it at either one of these sources but then again I cannot even spell it. :(
BETTY,
I DID FINALLY FIND IT UNDER "FERULA" AT HORIZON HERBS. MANY-MANY THANKS-i HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR MONTHS.
Hey, Vortreker, I'm curious...do you want the plant or herb for cooking?
Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida , http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Feru_ass.html , http://www.all-foods-natural.com/dossier/asafetida.html , http://www.chow.com/ingredients/270 , http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Asafetida , http://www.herbsguide.net/asafetida.html , http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/spices/asafetida.html , http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/asafoetida-powder?gclid=CMqa8ODx85QCFRwvagodSnwFqg
nannie-I want to grow it
Growing it is the easy part. When you harvest the stems and roots for the sap and go through the process of making it ready for use in cooking, you'll vastly appreciate the convenience of buying the compounded form in the market. LOL!
It's good to go through the process......once.......in case of emergency you'll know how to do it! :D
Like other members of the umbel family, this plant will attract many beneficial insects to your garden.
Thanks garden-m,
I am in charge of a botanical culinary herb garden and just want to grow it as part of the collection
R
When your plants are old enough, I hope you try harvesting at least a small amount of the resin and try to prepare it for use, just for the experience.
http://earthnotes.tripod.com/asafetida.htm
Quoting:
HARVEST: Several sources report slightly different variations on the same method. The plant, which must be at least 4 years old for quality production, is cut down in early summer before flowering. The cut includes the top portion of the root. A milk resin exudes from the cut surface which is allowed to remain for several weeks (being shaded from the sun) at which time it is scraped away and saved. Another slice is removed and allowed to remain several weeks. Over the course of a 3 month period the root will be exhausted by successive slicing and the harvest of the resin complete. The gummy resin is formed into "tears", lumps or paste. When collected the resin is placed into containers and allowed to harden in the sun. In India the leaf-bud in the center of the root produces a very fine product called Kandaharre Hing which is used in Ayurvedic medicine. It appears as red-yellow flakes and gives out an oil when squeezed.
PART USED: Gum resin [e wei] which softens by heat without melting and is difficult to powder.
SOLVENT: Alcohol. With alcohol it forms a clear tincture which becomes milky when water is added.
http://health.learninginfo.org/herbs/asafoetida.htm
Quoting:
One beneficial use for asafoetida's unpleasant smell is that of a natural pesticide. Two of the sulfur compounds isolated from asafoetida are similar to the insect repelling qualities of marigolds and nasturtiums. Asafoetida's fetor will also repel deer and rabbits.......Although very reasonably priced today, in ancient times it was a precious and expensive condiment. The Roman epicure Apicius recommended adding an uncrushed piece of asafoetida resin to a jar of pine nuts. When the asafoetida flavor was required, a few of the pine nuts were crumbled and added to the dish.
Gardenmermaid, I love the Apicius manner of adding asafoetida to pine nuts. Thanks so much for sending this bit of info! I'm always learning something new.
Been awhile since anyone has added anything to this but I found it and was reading it and I can remember my Mother telling me that her Mother use to make them wear asafoetidia bags around their necks when they were sick, she said it stunk so bad that you didn't feel bad any more LOL.
I wonder how effective it would be when worn around the neck at keeping away Vampires? (smile) Just kidding!
LMAO Thats funny !!!!!!!!!!! I really don't know about that part but knowing Mother like I did it wouldn't have surprised me if that wasn't what Grandma put it on her for. LOL
If you mom was using straight asafoetida resin (verus the compounded asafoetida usually sold in Indian/Asian markets) then I'm not surprised that the scent would keep everything away. LOL!. I actually prefer the taste of the straight resin. We take a small amount and dissolve it in water, then use the liquid to flavour our masalas and foods. Most asafoetida ("hing") has been cut (compounded) with wheat or rice flour, which makes it convenient for many cooks, but does alter the taste. I use it both ways. Hing will strengthen your digestive fire, so if you are ill, it will help you get better this way.
If you all haven't read Sharon Brown's articles about her Aunt Bett, the medicine mountain woman, you really must. Do a search here on Dave's Garden. You will see over and over again her references to the "asphidity bag".
Aha! so that's what she was talking about! I didn't realize what she meant. Now that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.
I just know that Mom told me that is was stinkyingness stuff she had ever smelled and hated it when Grandma put one on any of the kids. Said it stunk up the while house LOL
Yes indeed, it will stink up the whole house. I keep my hing in a tightly closed glass jar and only open it when I want to cook with it. Otherwise my whole kitchen would smell of it. No need to ask which aisle stocks it in the market - just follow your nose.
LOL I can just imagine. I guess I have never saw the plant or smelled it and from what I have heard I don't think I want too either LOL
LOL. I think epazote is more disgusting smelling than asafetida. To me, epazote smells like kerosene and I gag when I get near it. I grew it twice, just to make sure. Grck!
Now why in the world would you grow something that makes you gag just to make sure of something. LOL that is good !!!!! If it stunk that bad to me the first time I sure wouldn't have tried the 2nd time LOL.
garden_mermaid , do you put a clothes pin on your nose when you open the jar LOL . I think I would probably have to. LOL
Flower, so many people raved about epazote in cooking, that I had to grow it twice - just in case the first year was an extra potent fluke of nature. My hat is off to those who can put it in the cook pot!
The asafetida plant itself doesn't smell as strong. It the resin inside it that is harvested from the stems and roots, then dried, that is used in cooking and medcine.
Just because something has a strong smell doesn't mean it isn't useful or good for you.
Would odourless garlic be appealing?
*grin*
No I was just joking about it, What is it suppose to do anyway as far as using it to cook with and why is it good for you. You have stirred my interest now? I know I have always heard if it smells bad and tastes bad it will cure you , but you say this doesn't taste like it smells.
Seriously though I didn't even know people used it to cook with. Mom had never said anything about Grandma using it in food or anything.
Hing has a taste similar to onions and garlic. It is used medicinally for the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems. Michael Tierra has a nice summary of uses on this page:
http://www.planetherbs.com/specific-herbs/asafoetida.html
In cooking, in addition the taste, it is used to help make foods more digestible, dispeling gas & mucous from foods that might otherwise cause these.
Here is a link to some images of the spice:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=asafoetida&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title
Oh really. I think I need some of that then LOL. I love beans and just don't eat them that often just because of that reason. You say you can buy it in the stores? So what would I look for at the store?
You can buy it in Indian and many other Asian markets. Ask for "hing", which is the Hindi name for it, in the Indian markets. If you want to cruise the aisles and explore, look for the blue and yellow or red and white containers that you see pictured in the image link above. Your nose will likely alert you as you near the correct aisle.
You can also mail order hing, although if that's all you want, the shipping will cost more than the product.
Thanks, I look and see what I can find, if not I work with a guy that is from Pakistan so I might be able to see where he gets it if he uses it. I know he eats a seed like thing that he calls beatle dung so that might be the same thing cause I know that they stink to high heaven.
Is he eating Betel nut as a seed?
Hing isn't a seed. It is sold as lumps of resin (rare to get this form here) or as a powder after it's been compounded with flour.
I'd be curious as to what the "beetle dung" seed is that he is chewing. Is that the Urdu name for it, or a rough translation in to English? Do you think he might tell you the Urdu/Hindi name for it (spelled phonetically)?
Ok your right on what you said about the seeds he eats . I recognized the name after you had said it. but I always thought thats what he was calling it LOL. Goes to show you how dumb I am LOL. Any ways they stink !!! His native language is Urdu. I remember that cause I ask his wife what his native tongue was.
Don't go putting yourself down flower! There are many folks who have never heard of betel nuts, or betel leaf. Does he tend to chew the betel nuts after meals as a digestive?
I think so cause I have noticed it seemed like it was after lunch he was popping them into his mouth. Are they some thing that works on the digestive system too?