By Devyani Borade
“Devil’s dung.” Not exactly the most flattering epithet for something that is eaten with such relish in parts of the world. “Stinking gum?” Not much better. “Food of the gods.” Ah, now that’s more like it.
My finger runs down the definition in the guide. “Asafoetida, Ferula assafoetida, is a species of Ferula native to Iran. It is a 
herbaceous perennial plant with stout, hollow, somewhat succulent stems that are five to eight centimeters in diameter at the base of the plant. The leaves are thirty to forty centimeters long, tripinnate in shape . . .”
I shut the book, raise my head and sniff. A pungent aroma wafts from the kitchen, and I marvel at how Westerners and Indians can use exactly the same ingredients and yet come up with distinctly different tastes in their dishes.
It is the asafoetida, of course. There is something about this herb that turns the plainest dish into a delectable pleasure. Just a few grains blended in at the right moment can transform a culinary catastrophe into a gastronomic delight by adding a touch of the exotic.
My first acquaintance with this herb was at age three when I had a rollicking tummy ache. Mum asked me to lie down and gently applied a moist cotton bud to my navel. Within just a few minutes the perpetrator, an excess of gas, was fleeing from my body with much song and fanfare.
Called hing in Hindi, asafoetida powder is one of the first ingredients to go into the cooking pot. As soon as the oil is hot enough, a pinch of hing is sprinkled in. It immediately sizzles, turns a deep brown and discharges the fragrance that is the hallmark of all Indian dishes. Following this, cumin seeds (jeera) enhance the scent as well as the flavor, and the main vegetable is then added, along with red chili powder (laal mirch), turmeric powder (haldi) and salt (namak) to taste. Voila!
Asafoetida is a potent antidote for flatulence and in India it is allegedly prescribed for respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. It is even said to cure hysteria.
Having read that in ancient times the herb was believed to improve singers’ voices, I went about the house after lunch hollering at the top of my lungs. Lamentably, my husband, a king among men but unable to appreciate the finer nuances of music, was not impressed. I have therefore never gotten around to ascertaining if this tidbit is fact or fiction.
Known to attract wolves (I wonder how they found that one out!), catfish and pikes; and to deter germs, addictions and chefs, asafoetida is gradually making its appearance in more and more multicultural cuisine and being recognized for its many medicinal as well as epicurean qualities.
Cauliflower Potato Curry
(Serves 2)
This popular vegetarian dish will appeal to all palates, as it is neither too hot nor too pungent, and all ingredients are readily available.
1 tbsp olive oil (alternatively any cooking oil will do)
1 tsp hing (asafoetida powder)
1 tsp cumin seeds (optional, alternatively black mustard seeds will do)
1 onion, diced
¾ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
¾ tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tomato, diced
2 potatoes, chopped small
½ cauliflower, chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the hing and cumin seeds until the mixture sizzles and turns darker. On as high a flame as possible, fry the onion in this until golden brown. Reduce the flame to medium and add the tomato, potatoes and cauliflower, mix well, and cover the skillet. Leave to cook for 10–15 minutes until the potato and cauliflower have become tender. (Test by gently cutting through a piece with a wooden spoon.) Add the turmeric, then the salt, and finally the chilli powder and mix well. Stir in ¼ cup of water to keep the curry from getting dry. Cover and leave to cook on a low flame for another 10 minutes so that the spices blend and get absorbed. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot with naan bread or rice.
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