Introducing Hing: The Indian Spice That Will Knock Your Socks Off. You Need To Have This In Your Spice Cabinet!

When it comes to Indian food most people either go out to a restaurant to get it because they are afraid to mess it up. Those people that try Indian food at home usually stick with pretty safe spices like cumin and coriander. We promise though if you just give Hing a try, you won't believe how incredible it makes your next Indian meal taste!

Everything You Need To Know About Hing Includes:

Europeans gave it the decidedly unflattering moniker “devil's dung.” Even its more common English name, asafoetida, is derived from the Latin for fetid. Those unaccustomed to it can respond negatively to its strong aroma, a mix of sulfur and onions.

Hing comes from the resin of giant fennel plants that grow wild in Afghanistan and Iran. The resin can be kept pure, but in the States, you mostly find it ground to a powder and mixed with wheat. In The Book of Spice, author John O'Connell describes how Mughals from the Middle East first brought hing to India in the 16th century.

Many Indians use hing to add umami to an array of savory dishes. But for the uninitiated, hing can be a tough sell. Kate O'Donnell, author of The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook, says that she only included hing as an optional spice. “For a Western palette, hing can be shocking,” she says.

When cooked, hing's pungent odor mellows to a more mild leek- and garlic-like flavor. Some still smell a hint of sulfur, but for many that quality fades entirely. My father-in-law says that hing has a balancing effect on a dish. “It smooths out the aroma of all the other spices and makes them all very pleasant,” he says.

Vikram Sunderam, a James Beard Award winner and chef at the Washington, D.C., Indian restaurants Rasika West End and Rasika Penn Quarter, says that he adds hing to lentil or broccoli dishes. But he uses it judiciously.

“Hing is a very interesting spice, but it has to be used in the right quantity.”

Some believe that hing helps with digestion and can ward off flatulence. Perhaps that's why many add it to legumes, broccoli and other potentially gas-inducing vegetables.

Hing has many traditional medicinal uses in India and beyond. In India, it's believed to help with everything from kidney stones to bronchitis. In Afghanistan, it's thought to cure whooping cough and ulcers. In Egypt, it's considered a diuretic.

Oh Yeah… We Know You Want To Try This Spice!

Would You Ever Be Brave Enough To Try Hing & Spice Up Your Next Dish Or If You Have Used It Before?

Let Us Know What You Think About It!

Article Source: NPR

Photo Source: Steven Mark Needham/Getty Images