My Stinky Love, Hing

Someone asked me recently if I were stranded on a desolate island, what I would take with me, food-wise. Without hesitation I answered: hing. It’s a spice I refuse to live without. Our relationship is a love-story of a lifetime. It is almost too good to be true. Even with my husband we’ve had our ups and downs, but never with hing! It has been a smooth ride for over 20 years.

It is a great compliment considering that hing does stink! I mean, really strongly. Although not a common spice in Finland, it has been known in folk medicine for centuries and gone by the name “pirunpaska”. A polished, less derogatory translation would be “devil’s dung”. Whatever that is, it gives a clear idea of the pungent, fetid odour. Fortunately, the smell fades away when hing is sautéed. It has a delicate, unique taste. Although it is lightly stimulating, it is not a fiery spice.

The ferula asafoetida plant hing is derived from is a native of Persia and India. Alexander the Great brought it to Europe, but it never became popular on the continent. However, it is one of the most widely used spices in India.

Because of the yoga-lifestyle, we omit onions, leeks and garlic from the diet. When consumed, they increase passion and ignorance on the subtle levels of awareness. They stir the mind and agitate the senses. Although hing has a similar taste with onions and contributes to the richness of palate, it lacks the unwanted effects. On the contrary, it is considered a balancing condiment. Among other qualities, it is known to decrease flatulence and constipation.

Dry hing has a dark amber color. Because it is a resin, it is hard. It has to be ground with a hammer, rock or mortar. When added to a drop of hot ghee, it evaporates a wonderful aroma. To find pure hing outside of India is difficult. It is often powdered and mixed with wheat or rice flour, and sold in boxes. The processing makes it yellow in color. Best known brands, at least of those available in Finland, are Indian Vandevi and British Natcho.

Because it is a powerful seasoning, it has to be used with care. Only a tiny quantity is added at a stretch. In excess, it has a bitter aftertaste and can ruin the dish. Raw hing is not preferred, but I’m often adding a pinch to a salad dressing anyway. It is just one of those things I cannot resist!

Because I’m using it daily, I want to dedicate a post-entry to it. If you don’t find it in your spice-cabin, don’t worry. I suppose there is life without hing. I just don’t know about it.

An update (2012): Recently I bought hing from a new brand and it smelled so bad that I couldn't use it. In all the recipes on this blog, I'm using Vandevi hing.