Asafoetida

This chapter looks holistically at the spice asafoetida, a spice not produced in India but consumed mostly by the Indians. We may never see the asafoetida plants in its natural habitat, on the highlands of Iran and Afghanistan, but the spice asafoetida has been with us for the past two millennia. India planted the first asafoetida plants in the Himalayas under the supervision of, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, on the 15th October, 2020, at farmer’s field in village Kwaring of Lahaul Valley, to mark initiation of cultivation of asafoetida in India, with a fervent hope of producing asafoetida indigenously. Asafoetida is an essential spice when it comes to the vegetarian cuisine of India, especially of the South Indian cuisine. For the South Indian households, no day passes without the traditional sambar and rasom, and the traditional pickles, for all of which asafoetida is a must addition; the taste and flavor of these dishes are contributed by this mysterious spice. The present chapter looks at asafoetida comprehensively, starting from its history from ancient to the present, its source plants and their taxonomy, botany, propagation, agronomic practices adopted in the growing regions of highlands of Iran, and harvesting and postharvest production aspects at the production centers. The chapter also gives details of the chemistry of the asafoetida gum and the functional properties associated with the spice. The chapter lists out the processing, steps, products in the market, various asafoetida types and their qualities, adulteration, and related aspects. Finally it gives the medicinal uses of asafoetida, its culinary uses, and its safety issues associated with the consumption of asafoetida regularly.