The Unexpected Seasoning That Can Make Your Steak Unforgettable

You wouldn't think that something nicknamed devil's dung is something you'd want to add to your spice cabinet. You might also hesitate when you learn that it's a little stinky, conjuring up the strong smell of white truffles and boiled eggs. But the ingredient, the true name of which is asafetida, is an essential spice in Indian cooking and (like MSG and other funky-tasting ingredients) can add a wonderful blast of umami flavor to steak.

Asafetida is a gum harvested from a wild, celery-like plant called ferula that grows in the high deserts of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Iran. After the resin is dried, it's ground and often packaged with wheat or rice flour to prevent it from caking. Asafetida is used throughout India (where it's more commonly known as hing), but is particularly common in the southern part of the country where it's used to bring savory notes to meatless dishes. Indians also like to use it with bean and lentil dishes because of its medicinal properties, particularly for aiding digestion.

There are a few rules to cooking with asafetida. First, and this will be no surprise given its funkiness, use it sparingly. Only a pinch or two will do the trick, especially with more mild foods like fish. Second, to get as much flavor from asafetida as possible (while mellowing some of its stronger notes), temper it by dissolving it in hot oil or ghee before adding it to dishes. 

In fact, you should temper all of your spices to enhance their pungency before using them. Counterintuitively, tempering also removes some of the bitterness in asafetida. Lastly, combine asafetida with other spices so it doesn't dominate the flavor of your dish. Not surprisingly, asafetida pairs well with any of the key spices needed for Indian cooking like cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, and cardamom.

You can find asafetida in Indian specialty stores and on Amazon. To keep it from permeating its odor in your kitchen, store it in an airtight container and make sure you've wiped up any excess that might be lingering on the jar or on your countertops.