Asafetida

Made from resin of the giant fennel plant, its pungent sulfurous aroma is anything but pleasant when sniffed from a jar. In a dry state it gives no hint of the onion and garlic flavors hiding beneath the assaulting sulfur compounds, but once it hits heat the aroma transforms into an inviting essence reminiscent of roasted garlic.

Asafetida is sold in solid pieces referred to as "lumps", in small pieces called "tears" or powdered. The strongest flavored variety is a dark reddish-brown color with the yellow and brown varieties being more mellow because the powder is generally combined with a starch or turmeric.

It's primarily used in Indian cuisine and does a particularly nice job of enhancing the flavors in lentil dishes, as well as curries. A touch of asafetida added to any dish that would welcome garlic is the way to experiment with this spice. Use a light hand, which shouldn't be hard to remember once you get a whiff of it. You might want to store it in a quality air-tight container to keep the aroma from penetrating your cupboard. Might we suggest a SpiceCare container?