Asafetida

The notorious asafetida is the strong-smelling, even stinking, dried brownish resin extracted from the root of a plant that grows wild from the eastern Mediterranean to central Asia. Asafetida has a pungent, unpleasant smell when raw, but in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavor, reminiscent of leeks. Asafetida is used mostly in Indian vegetarian cooking, in which the strong onion-garlic flavor enhances many dishes, especially those of Brahmin and Jain castes where onions and garlic are prohibited. Asafetida is known as an antidote for flatulence and is also prescribed for respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. Fry a pinch of asafetida and add to lamb, mushrooms, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, or other legumes.