Asafoetida powder, also known as Hing, is a crucial ingredient in Indian vegetarian cooking.

Derived from a species of dried latex (gum oleoresin) extruded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, a perennial herb, asafoetida has a unique smell and flavor.

This spice is used as a digestive aid, in food as a condiment, and in pickles. It typically works as a flavor enhancer and, primarily used 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 flavor similar to onion and garlic. In India this ingredient is crucial for the Jains, who do not eat root crops. Sometimes dried and ground asafoetida (in very mild quantity) can be mixed with salt and eaten with raw salad.