Spice guide / Asafoetida
What is Asafoetida?
Resin spice (hing). Compounded products may contain gluten.
Short answer: Asafoetida (Hindi: हींग) is Ferula assa-foetida. Allium-like, pungent. Culinary use only — not a medicine.
| Common name | Asafoetida |
|---|---|
| Hindi | हींग |
| Sanskrit | — |
| Botanical name | Ferula assa-foetida |
| Family | Apiaceae |
| Origin | Resin imported and compounded in India; compounded hing often contains wheat or rice flour — allergen critical |
| Main producing regions | Himachal Pradesh |
| Flavour | Allium-like, pungent |
| Aroma | — |
| Forms | powder |
| Retail packs | 100g–5kg (typical; see products) |
| Bulk | 10kg+ |
What is Asafoetida?
Asafoetida is a gum-resin. Many retail “hing” products are compounded with starch. Ingredients and allergens are mandatory, not optional.
History of Asafoetida
Origin
Resin imported and compounded in India; compounded hing often contains wheat or rice flour — allergen critical
Growing regions
Himachal Pradesh
How it is grown
Harvest
Processing
Grades
- Standard: Admin-configured commercial grade
- Premium: Admin-configured higher visual/purity selection
- Export Grade: Only show when export specifications exist for the lot
- Machine Cleaned: Machine cleaned — confirm process for the lot
Only grades that apply to a lot should be shown at purchase. These are templates, not invented industry certificates.
Flavour, aroma and colour
Allium-like, pungent. . Colour: . Heat: none.
Whole vs ground
Asafoetida is typically used as a powder or blend. Keep the tin airtight, away from the hob steam, and replace when the aroma has gone flat.
Culinary uses
- Dal
- Sambar
- Kadhi
- Pickle
Traditional uses
Recorded in culinary tradition. Traditional use is not scientific evidence of a medical effect.
SpicyCenter does not claim that spices cure, treat or prevent disease.
Storage and shelf life
Nutrition
Asafoetida is a culinary seasoning. Nutrition values are pack-specific and must match the label for UK/EU sale. We do not claim that this spice treats, cures or prevents disease.
Buying guide
Tell us the quantity you need, from 100 gm to 1 metric ton. Prices are not published on this website. Availability is confirmed on the enquiry.
Recipes using this spice
- Dal tadka — Yellow lentils finished with a hot cumin, chilli and hing tempering.
- Sambar — Lentil-vegetable stew with tamarind and mustard tempering.
- Tomato rasam — Pepper-cumin rasam — thin, sour, and meant to be sipped with rice.
- Misal pav — Sprouted-bean usal with a spicy rassa — Kolhapuri heat if you want it.
- Toor dal amti — Slightly sweet-sour Maharashtrian dal with goda masala.
- Lemon rice — Tempered leftover rice with mustard, curry leaf and turmeric.
- Puliyodarai (tamarind rice) — Temple-style sour rice paste with mustard and sesame.
- Kanda poha — Flattened rice with mustard-cumin tadka.
