Asafoetida, Description and Various uses to Asafoetida

 Asafoetida

Description

Asafoetida also spelled asafoetida, also called Heng spice, is a gum resin prized as a spice in India and Iran, where it is used to flavor curries, meatballs, and pickles. Tart in taste, it emits a strong onion-like aroma due to organic sulfur compounds. It is usually sold in powder form and is said to enhance umami flavors in salty foods. It is also used in traditional medicine, often as a digestive aid or for menstrual problems.

Asafoetida is obtained mainly from the plant Ferula asafoetida of the carrot family Apiaceae. The whole plant is used as a fresh vegetable, and the inside of the whole stem is considered a delicacy. The plant may grow up to 2 M (7 ft) tall. Four years later, when it is ready to produce asafoetida, the stems are cut off near the root, and the milky juice flows out quickly into a hard resinous mass. The freshly exposed surface of the asafoetida has a translucent pearly-white appearance, but it quickly darkens in the air, becoming first pink and, finally, reddish-brown.

Halvoetida has also been referred to as the " food of the gods."The main part of this plant used is the resin, which forms a volatile oil.  Asafoetida was used to treat gas and associated bloating. Resin gum is often used for vegetarian dishes that are prepared in India. Today, it is one of the main flavors in Worcestershire sauce. 

Various uses for Asafoetida 

Asafoetida is an herbal plant that has many diverse uses such as helping digestion, a remedy for headaches, an antidote, and an expectorant. Asafoetida has been known to be used for some mental disabilities but not often and it has been shown to make a big difference except for mild anxiety. Therefore, he focuses mainly on body functions where he can achieve greater benefits.

As mentioned earlier, it acts on gas and associated bloating but also relieves indigestion, relieves stomach cramps, and helps with constipation, which is asafoetida's contribution to the digestion Department. When it comes to headaches, when asafoetida is mixed with water, it shows great promise for treating migraines and tension headaches. It also acts as an antidote, for snake bites and insect repellent when mixed with garlic.

Expectorant oil asafoetida helps to rid the body of excess mucus and relieves the respiratory tract. Many use it for whooping cough, asthma, and bronchitis. Where expectoration is a problem asafetida helps in expelling the accumulated cough. Some mixtures that seem to mix well together for coughing, as expectorants are freshly roasted resinous gum powder with real margarine or a mixture of asafetida powder with honey, white onion juice, betel nut juice, and dry ginger.

Asafoetida has a very unpleasant and very bad smell, so many call it " devil's dung."The unpleasant odor comes from the resin that is removed from the STEM and root of the plant. Asafoetida is a type of fennel plant, but it is a close relative of carrots. The evil smell is formed from the organic sulfur compound contained as part of essential oils. When it comes to the value of an asafoetida tree, older is better and trees less than four years old are almost worthless.

When buying asafoetida on the market is likely to be available in three different forms, the one called tears is commonly sold in Chinese pharmacies and distinctively may be fragments of Root and Earth. It is also sold in a paste that is very commonly used as a seasoning for dishes such as curries, Flavor Beans, sauces, and pickles, and many use it as a substitute for garlic. 

A few other unique things that asafoetida is used for is that if used in recipes regularly it has been suggested that it may increase the chances of male fertility. Often it is used for toothache as well.