Dancing With the Devil: Asafetida

 

a·sa·fet·i·da

ˌasəˈfetidə/

noun

noun: asafoetida; noun: asafetida; plural noun: asafoetidas plural noun: asafetidas

1. 1. a fetid resinous gum obtained from the roots of a herbaceous plant, used in herbal medicine and Indian cooking.
2. 2. a Eurasian plant of the parsley family, from which this gum is obtained.

Origin

late Middle English: from medieval Latin asafoetida, from asa (from Persian azā ‘mastic’) + foetida (see fetid).

Asafetida:

Uhm yeah, so there you have it. A resinous gum. Asafetida is mostly used for culinary purposes in India and grown natively in India and Iran. Typically it only makes it's way outside the area by natives lucky enough to have it as part of the cultures culinary repertoire. How thankful I am to them for introducing it to the rest of us. I also want to add it is often sold in the united states as a pest deterrent in gardening. There are many a farmer who claims that it not only is a pest deterrent but also aids in crop growth. I tend to think this is quite plausible and plan to utilize this information in my organic gardening plan. However at the moment I am sharing the culinary use.

So as you can see from the photo above, there is a little processing going on before it arrives on our counter. By the time it makes it's way to us, it is either in the form of a resin or powder. You must be careful in choosing your source of asafetida as so much of it is doctored now. Even very well known Indian brands have additives. Look for a source that has 100% asafetida no additives.
In the recipe I used below, the bottle I was gifted with definitely was a bit doctored with additives and so I used double the amount expected.
The plant is harvested before it blooms. The stalks and roots are cut open and a milky resin is scraped out and put in the sun to dry. I was totally intrigued at the idea of using this resin in my cooking.

Today I danced with the devil, and won! 

 

 My oldest daughter dropped off a bottle of Asafetida also known as devils dung, because I have been moaning and groaning about wanting to use it. First let me say it smells bad isn't a good enough description because before you even realize your smelling something bad it has already attached itself to your uvula.

Then as your trying to figure out what the horrible taste clinging to the back of your throat is, that is precisely when the smell hits you. I wasn't aware that my daughter had been kind enough to drop me  off a bottle that she had scored at an Indian Market in Boston. It just sat there unsuspectingly on the kitchen island, sealed and new and yet it still managed to smack me right down. 

I promptly wrapped the bottle into a zip lock Baggie and then I placed that lot into a glass canning jar. Implausibly the kitchen was still sweating in the dung of the devil, it just lingered there taunting me to not use it. I honestly had visions of how someone must feel mucking out a barn stall in 110 degree weather. 
Remember though, I am daring, adventurous, yes I even rolled my own eyes at that; but I did it. I so used that asafetida just flaunting my boldness at the devils doorstep. I used it tonight to cook a soup that surely was heaven sent even if it was anchored in the Devil's stench. I have to say it was remarkably marvelous. So here we go a very loose recipe for a very strong ingredient.

Devil Soup

1 1/2 cups of peas
1 1/2 Cups of corn
2 cups of sliced multicolored peppers
1 roasted chicken
1 red onion
6 diced potatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce 
handful of chopped grape tomatoes
2 tbs of Curry
a pinch or two of Cumin 
1 tbs of brown Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafetida 
pinch or two of red pepper flake
chicken stock to cover
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
Ghee if you have some or an olive oil, butter mix will do.

Sauté the onion in Ghee, or olive oil and butter, when it is translucent add the mustard seeds until hot and popping.
Add in the asafetida, just a pinch roughly 1/2 tsp, cumin, and curry powder to temper it. you will smell the most heavenly scent fill the air. just a minute or two to release the oils.
Add in the diced potatos, grape tomatos and give them a little time to bask in the oil, then add everything else but the chicken and tomato sauce.
Let it sauté a bit to let the flavors meld before adding chicken stock and tomato sauce, a bit of salt pepper to taste and pinch of sugar to balance the tomato and let it come to a boil.
Drop the temperature to a simmer, add the diced chicken and let it do it's thing. Yum!

Now the asafetida, it was ungodly going into the pot, but as soon as it hit the hot oil and started to heat the smell transformed to a heady earthy onion, garlic, shalloty amazingness with layers and depth that I don't think can be had elsewhere. I can't believe I am going to say it, but I give asafetida two thumbs up as a spice as long as you can get a good container from the CDC to store it in.

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