Also known as hing powder, asafoetida is basically the dried latex of the root of a herb. These pieces of gum are ground into a powder that brings pungent notes of garlic and onion to a dish.
You can use it to add a garlicky note to your dry spice rubs or fry it off with your spices when you start making your curry. It's especially useful if you're feeding someone who has a sensitivity to digesting garlic and onion, and should be used extremely sparingly, no matter how much you think you're a garlic lover!
So how did our judges do in the asafoetida blind taste-test?
[Melissa] Am I gonna cough? I smell garlic.
Asafoetida, or Hing powder, has a pungent raw odour that transforms into garlicky goodness when cooked. Source: Getty Images / subodhsathe
Can our judges guess what the secret ingredient is? Source: The Chefs' Line
[Dan] Oh my gawd it's...
[Mark] Urgh
[Melissa] Bleaurgh! (Laughs)
How does asafoetida taste if you don't know what it is? Source: The Chef's Line
[Dan] That's not very nice!
(Is it strong?)
[Melissa] Intense
[Mark] Very very intense
[Dan] It's a spice
[Melissa] Definitely a spice
[Melissa] It's funny how you doubt yourself
(Well, it's Hing! Also known as, asafoetida)
Can the judges guess what it is? Source: SBS Food
The judges reveal their final guesses! Source: SBS food
[Dan] I had no idea what it was
[Melissa] Well, it's very peppery and garlicky
[Mark] It really dries your mouth out
[Dan] Can we not have spices?
Spice it up
Spice merchant diary: asafoetida
is back for round 2! Home cooks versus restaurant chefs are getting ready to rumble in our kitchen 6pm weeknights starting Monday, August 6 on SBS and then on SBS On Demand. Visit the for recipes, videos, cooking tips and more.
