Asafoetida (Smelly Ferula)

This perennial plant belongs to the Umbelliferae - the genus Ferula. Also, this herbaceous plant is called stinky ferula, ilan, bad spirit, asmargok, stinky resin, hing and devil's feces.

Latin name - Ferula assa-foetida.

The plant grows up to 150 centimeters high (there is also data on a height of up to three meters).

• The asafoetida root is turnip-shaped, it grows strongly, and by the seventh or ninth year of growth it becomes cone-shaped and thick.
• The leaves of this plant are on long petioles, triangular in shape, repeatedly dissected. Their number is determined by the age of the plant.
• When flowering, ferula stink forms inflorescences of complex yellow umbels.

Asafoetida blooms only 2-3 weeks. Then the plant dies, but the root underground lives and grows stronger. Once in a few years, a stem up to 3 m high and up to 10 cm in diameter grows from the root, it opens its umbrella inflorescences and grows seeds. After that, the plant dies.

Asafoetida as a finished spice is represented by almond-shaped "grains" of resin. These "grains" are glued together and have a sharp aroma. Outside, they are yellow, on the cut, their color is first milky white, and then the cut turns red. The best quality is the resin, represented by large pieces of bright color. In cold conditions, it begins to crumble, and at room temperature it resembles wax.

Depending on the homeland, the plant is represented by many species, among which Afghan and Iranian are called the best.

Asafoetida is called an undemanding plant. It grows well in the desert, on rocks, as well as on sandy soils.

Countries that are considered the birthplace of stinky ferula are Iran, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. The plant can be seen in Kurdistan (Iraqi, Iranian). In 1971, extensive thickets of this perennial were discovered on the Zailiysky Alatau ridge. Asafoetida was brought to northern Africa as early as the 6th century BC. era. At first, the plant spread greatly, but due to excess demand, as early as the first century AD. e. thickets were completely destroyed.

1. In April, plants are found in the mountains and dug in order to expose the root.
2. The tops of the rhizomes are cleaned, and the dry foliage is removed, after which loose soil is poured on top of the roots and the plants are covered with stones.
3. In May, the rhizomes are re-exposed to cut off their upper part just below the place where the root connects to the leaves.
4. The cut is covered with milky juice. It turns brown in air and hardens, forming latex.
5. Shelters are organized above the cuts to protect against dust and sun rays.
6. You can collect the resulting latex after two days, after which you need to make a new incision. The collection of latex from the second cut is carried out after five days, from the third - after ten days, and so on until the milky juice ceases to stand out.

The finished resin can be stored hermetically sealed for up to one year. In powder form, the spice is sold in stores specializing in spices and Indian goods.Resin can be purchased in Afghanistan (such asafoetida is considered the best, but its price is higher than all others), Iran, India (it is considered the worst, therefore it costs several times cheaper than the Afghan one).

• Temperature conditions affect the state of aggregation of asafoetida. The consistency of ground asafoetida resembles wax at room temperature. When the temperature rises, the mass becomes more elastic (similar to a viscous viscous liquid), and when it drops, it becomes brittle (crumbles in the hands).
• Ferula tastes like a mixture of onion and garlic flavors.
• Some perfumers include it in perfumes and colognes.

• The spice is represented by a granular mass, including “grains” of different sizes, which are bound by a brown-yellow sticky substance.
• Inside, such "grains" have a milky white color and pink streaks. Cut, they quickly turn red - they become first purple, and later brown.
• At the heart of the smell of this spice, a mixture of aromas of onion and garlic is noted (it is more pronounced). The smell of ferula is volatile and very quickly permeates the air of the room.
• The seasoning has a very corrosive taste - it is felt in the mouth for several hours after use and cannot be eliminated even by rinsing the mouth.

In 100 g of asafoetida:

Dry asafoetida consists of:

• ferulic acid;
• essential oils;
• terpenes;
• coumarins;
• sesquiterpenes;
• oxides of carbon;
• other substances.

• Improves digestion.
• Promotes faster movement of food through the digestive tract.
• Helps to get rid of unpleasant belching and flatulence.
• Reduces pain.

• High body temperature.
• Serious skin diseases.
• Allergic reactions.
• Increased acidity.
• Pregnancy.

The milky juice of the plant is used to produce spices.

In the form of tiles, asafoetida is considered cleaner, but the powder form is more convenient to use. The spice is widely used in Asia (Kurdish, Indian, Afghan, Iranian, Javanese and other cuisines).

It is added to:

• meat dishes (most often lamb);
• dishes from legumes (for better digestion) and rice;
• salads, soups, appetizers

By using asafoetida in combination with other spices, its flavor is softened. This seasoning is often replaced with garlic and onions.

A teaspoon of spice contains 7 grams of the product, a tablespoon - 20 grams.

• Usually, up to 1/4 teaspoon of seasoning is added per serving of the dish (most often the amount is taken on the tip of a knife). Excess can produce an unpleasant bitter taste. The spice is added at the end of cooking to maximize flavor retention.
• You can also dissolve asafoetida in hot water first, then add to the dish.
• When preparing masala, which will fill the finished dish, ferula can be added to the rest of the spices during frying.

Required Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant, 60 g butter, ginger root, 2 green chili peppers, cumin seeds (1 teaspoon), mustard seeds (1/2 teaspoon), dried curry leaves (10), asafoetida (1 / 4 teaspoons), 4 tomatoes, fresh spinach (450 g), salt and sugar (1.5 teaspoons each), turmeric (1 teaspoon), cooked chickpeas (500 grams) and lemon juice (1 hour . a spoon)

Cut the eggplant into cubes and salt, then leave for a while to remove the bitterness. After washing the chopped eggplant, dry it a little.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add grated ginger (a tablespoon), mustard and cumin seeds, and chopped chili peppers, peeled from seeds, to the heated oil.

Add curry, eggplant and asafoetida.

Saute all 10 minutes, then add chopped spinach and diced peeled tomatoes.

Salt, cover with a lid and, reducing the heat, wait for the spinach to reduce in size. It remains to add chickpeas, lemon juice and sugar and boil for another five minutes.

Fry the slices of bread in vegetable oil, adding a pinch of asafoetida. You can also sprinkle seasoning on ready-made sandwiches, especially hot ones.

Boil half a cup of mung beans in water (six cups). When the grains burst, add chopped carrots (1/2 cup) and chopped tomatoes (1 cup). Simmer until the mung bean turns into a puree and the vegetables soften. Pour vegetable oil (2 tablespoons) into a small frying pan, add asafoetida (up to 1/2 teaspoon), dry ginger (a pinch) and cumin seeds to it. Roasted spices, a pinch of black pepper and salt (a teaspoon) add to the soup and mix.

Watch the following video - you will learn a lot about the asafoetida plant and spice.

By consuming ferula, you can improve the digestion of food and prevent flatulence. The dried resin is used as a carminative and anticonvulsant. Emulsions, tinctures, and powders are made from resin.

Asafoetida is also used for:

• skin diseases;
• infections of the respiratory system (as an expectorant, can be mixed with honey and onion juice);
• disturbed hormonal balance;
• severe headaches;
• nervous tension;
• arthrosis, radiculitis and polyarthritis (as an aid);
• gynecological problems (in particular, to alleviate the condition with menopause and menstruation);
• bouts of hysteria (inhale the smell);
• roughness of the throat (dissolve in water and drink slowly);
• pain in the nerves, paralysis and spasms (dissolved in pomegranate juice);
• pain in the abdomen (apply a cloth soaked in hot water with asafoetida);
• toothache (a cotton swab dipped in warm lemon juice with the addition of asafoetida is applied to the tooth);
• sore throat (make a rinse with warm water, to which asafoetida and turmeric are added).

Spice is used:

• Like incense for the home (bahoor).
• As a component for home magical rituals.
• For cosmetic purposes - for rejuvenation and healing.

High quality asafoetida has large "grains", the color is bright, elasticity is good. In Asian markets, Iranian varieties are considered to be of higher quality than Afghan varieties. The spice is divided into two categories depending on the quality - hing (higher quality) and hingra (lower quality).

There are three varieties in the hing category:

• hadda
• shabani
• Kabulidan

• Each plant produces 0.9-1.3 kg of latex.
• Now smelly ferula is included in the Red Book and is classified as an endangered plant.
• In large quantities, the plant can only be found in Afghanistan and Iran.
• There is a version that the plant was used by prehistoric people to endure fire.
• The ancient Greeks and Romans valued the spice for its medicinal properties. They found that asafoetida relieves headaches, calms and improves bowel function. They also liked the spicy taste of this spice. Ferrula was delivered to Europe from the countries of the East by merchants.
• The spice came to England with the troops of Alexander the Great, after which it was grown there until the 18th century.
• The Germans were the last to use asafoetida among Europeans, adding it to sausages. Now the spice is practically not used in Russia and in Western countries, but is very much appreciated in India.