Asafoetida also known as Hing in Hindi | Perungayam in Tamil. One of the most important ingredient in Indian cooking. Learn how to make Hing or Asafoetida at Home with step by step pictures, recipe, instructions and video.
Asafoetida | Hing
Asafoetida is a gum-resin obtained from the exudates of the roots of the Iranian endemic medicinal plant. It has a pungent smell to it which is why it has a common name stinking gum. Asafoetida or Hing is a common ingredient in Indian, pakistan, Iran & Afghanistan Cuisines. On its own it has a strong aroma but when added to dishes it gives an onion flavor.
Table of Contents
What is Asafoetida
I always find that store bought asafoetida powder is not as strong. Its aroma and flavour gets reduced as it stays on the pantry shelf. Homemade asafoetida powder is easy to make and its flavour is so good. Once you start using this, then you will never go back to store bought ones.
Did you know that store bought asafoetida has added maida | wheat flour in them. This homemade version of asafoetida is so much stronger and it has much more aroma than regular store bought powdered ones. This is easy to make and is much healthier.
Why this Recipe Works?
- Fast, Effective, Hygienic & Budget Friendly.
- More flavor than readymade store bought asafoetida.
- It contains no artificial flavor, preservatives & added wheat flour.
Video for Homemade Asafoetida (Hing)
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Asafoetida is widely used in cooking. But it has numerous health benefits.
Stomach Bloating & Digestion
My grandmother always have a jar of asafoetida powder on hand. She dissolves 1 tsp of asafoetida powder in ¼ cup of warm water and consume. This is a proven home remedy which cures stomach bloating & pain caused from consuming gassy foods. Asafoetida improves digestion too.
Rich in Anti-oxidants, acts anti-inflammatory, lowers blood pressure too.
How to Make Asafoetida (Step-wise Pictures)
1)Take a bar of asafoetida in a microwave dish.
2)Put in microwave and cook on regular cooking mode for 2 mins.
3)It will puff up and the bar will get lighter in weight as well.
4)Cool it completely and put it inside a bag or plastic cover and Crush it using a rock
5)Crush till it is crushed
6)Like this.
7)Take it in a blender
8)Powder to a fine mix
9)Take it in a container and store.
Asafoetida (Stove Top method)
If you don't have a microwave, you can choose to make asafoetida | hing in a pan or in an oven.
- Take a bar of asafoetida and use a sharp knife to cut it into small pieces.
- Compound Asafoetida is usually chewy and rubbery. So it will be little difficult to cut. You can make this process easy, by heating the compound asafoetida in a pan till it gets hot. It makes the compound more chewy so you can chop or tear them apart easily.
- Now add the chopped asafoetida in a dry pan and start roasting on a low heat till it gets roasted. As you roast them, it will stick together again. But thats not an issue. You have to keep roasting them on low medium heat till brown.
- Take it off the heat and cool for 2 to 3 mins. Now remove it from pan, and break them apart if needed. If you let them cool in the pan, it may stick together in which case you might need to heat again.
- If you see the asafoetida is not crispy and feels chewy, dry roast in the pan longer.
- Once completely cold, you can powder them.
Asafoetida (Oven Method)
- Take a bar of asafoetida and use a sharp knife to cut it into small pieces.
- Place the chopped asafoetida on a parchment paper lined baking tray.
- Pop this in a 180 degree C preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes until puffed.
- Remove them from oven and allow them to cool completely.
- Once completely cold, you can powder them.
Expert Tips
- In microwave, it takes just 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook asafoetida. Check after 30 seconds, to make sure that it didn't get burnt. Usually it will take around 45 seconds to 1 minute.
- Line the pan with parchment paper, so the asafoetida doesn't stick to the pan.
- Make small batches of asafoetida to have the fresh aroma longer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Asafoetida?
Asafoetida is a gum-resin obtained from the exudates of the roots of the Iranian endemic medicinal plant. It has a pungent smell to it which is why it has a common name stinking gum.
Is asafoetida good or bad for health?
Asafoetida has numerous health benefits. It helps in digestion, anti fungal properties, promotes brain health, reduces symptoms of IBS and anti cancer properties.
What hing is called in English?
Hing is a common spice used in Indian cooking. It is widely used in other parts of the world cuisine like Iranian, pakistan, bangladeshi foods. Hing is called as Asafoetida in English. Commonly known as "devils dung" or "stinky gum"due to its potent smell.
What is Asafoetida called in Tamil?
Asafoetida is called as Perungayam in tamil and Hing in hindi.
How to use Asafoetida in Cooking?
Asafoetida is usually added to hot oil or ghee when making tempering. Adding it to hot oils mellows the pungent flavour and enhances the taste of the dish.
Commonly we use Hing (Asafoetida) when making tempering for dals, sabzi, jeera hing aloo, buttermilk.
📖 Recipe Card
Homemade Asafoetida Recipe | How to Make Hing at Home
Equipment
- Microwave
- Blender
Ingredients
- 100 grams Compound Asafoetida | Hing
Instructions
- Take asafoetida bar and place it in a microwave safe dish. It is helpful if you line the baking dish with parchment paper because asafoetida tends to stick to the pan.
- Place the pan into the microwave and cook on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Check after 30 seconds, to make sure that it didn't get burnt. Usually it will take around 45 seconds to 1 minute. Now it will get puffed like a ball and gets lighter in weight.
- Remove from oven and leave it to cool completely.
- Once cooled, remove the asafeotida from the baking dish and place it inside a ziploc bag or a plastic cover. Crush it into small pieces using a stone or mortar.
- Take the crushed asafoetida in a blender and powder till fine. It will take literally 30 seconds.
- Store the powdered asafoetida an air tight container.
Video
Notes
- In microwave, it takes just 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook asafoetida. Check after 30 seconds, to make sure that it didn't get burnt. Usually it will take around 45 seconds to 1 minute.
- Line the pan with parchment paper, so the asafoetida doesn't stick to the pan.
- Make small batches of asafoetida to have the fresh aroma longer.
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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Nanditha
Good idea 💡 when we don't have oven?
Kalaivani
I Don't Have oven please to say alternative. . Tanq
Aarthi
u can roast on a dry pan. chop it into small pieces
Neethu Sebastian
Thanks a ton for this recipe.. I had block lying around for over a year with no idea what to do.. Saw this on insta n made it right away.. Sooooo easy
Rubeena
Hello Aarthi,
What is the meaning of 'regular cooking mode' in microwave. Could you please explain which setting I have to use
Thank you
Anand Khandelwal
How to purchase asafoetida in india.
wm pettigrew
where do I buy a "bar" of asafoetida?
Aarthi
You can look in indian super markets
Jacob
I burnt my hing doing exactly as you said. Now my house reaks horribly and and it is super hard to breath. Your instructions are terrible!!!
Amin Shah
Where can I get asofoetida bar? Is this thing made from onions?
Aarthi
asafoetida is actually a gum like stuff obtained from trees. You can find it in indian super markets.
Naman Trivedi
Let me get some misconceptions clear,
The bar and powder or any form that you get in the market are compounded version,
When i say compounded it means it has a base and only 7 to 10% of its base product is hing.
Hing as a raw product is expensive product and is never availble in retail market.
When i say expensive, it is around 20 to 25k per kg 🙂 So it can be a pure bar or block only if its sold at around 2500 RS per 100 gm 🙂
The raw material is resin/gum extracted from a stem of hing plant, the same resin is not directly fit for human consumption as its very strong and hence its compounded for human use.
Rajesh Shastri
Thanks for this information, quite useful to know.