Asafetida (Hing) is very essential ingredient in Indian vegetarian cooking. Hing has very strong and unique smell and flavor. If this is used too much smell can be unpleasant. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine and good for digestive system.
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Last Updated: January 2026
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Hi has anyone used hing in a rub before roasting ? Does it work or go back to a hard resin
Hi, i need some help regarding excess usage of hing actually what happened you know i was preparing Dal and unfortunately while seasoning extra hing fell in the dal so can we remove the excess taste of the hing from the dal.
Tina, I am not sure but try adding some pieces of potatoes
Can rahad dal be consumed with hing?? Some says one should not , it may cause skin disease.
I asked for hing at an Indian shop here in Maryland. I bought the one that they suggested, got it home, opened it and it is a brick. I don’t see any way to get 1/8 tsp. off of it—I would need a hammer and chisel! Is there any use for this brick, or did I just throw away $4.99?
Amy, I am surprised Indian store always keep the powder. The only place I see the rock form in India.
Don’t worry… It will taste better than the powdered Hing… Just break it and put it into the mixie… You will get the powder
How can I remove the extra aroma, if excess asafoetida is added by mistake in sambar?
Uma, boil few large pieces of potatoes in samber for few minutes and take them out when you are ready to serve, I am hoping that should help.
Hi Manjula, I often get excess asafoetida in dry sabji dishes like cauliflower, then how can I fix it. Thanks.
Richa, add potato or roasted besan
my goodness. i dont usually agree with people anyway. but for me hing is FABULOUS! YES IF you for some reason feel you have added too much. Squeeze lemon in to your dish. and yes it IS A SUBSTITUTE FOR GARLIC in my opinion. experiment for gods sake. it is made by God/Nature. what the hell are you afraid of?
I am using this because I can’t digest onions and garlic… can you tell me a conversion of how much to use when subbing for onions and garlic?
Arin,
Asafetida is not a substitute for onion garlic, asafetida is used in very small quantity like pinch when you cooking for 2
Arin, Asafetida is not a substitute for onion garlic, asafetida is used in very small quantity if you are cooking for two you need to use just pinch of asafetida.
Is hing gluten free?
Cindy Morton,
Hing is gluten free but when they make the powder some time they use flour, check the ingredients before buy not all the brands have flour.
Can you please tell which brand of hing is gluten free please??
Komal, this is available on amazon Please make sure the Asafoetida Powder you are using is Gluten Free. If not, try this one: Supreme Spice 100% Pure Premium Quality Asafoetida Extract
Read more at https://manjulalive.wpenginepowered.com/category/recipes/gluten-free/#G1oWYpPKE84bc9e3.99
or if you can find pieces of asafetida and make the powder your self
I have Celiac’s disease, which means I can not eat wheat/gluten. Where can I buy pure hing on the internet, not the stuff that is cut with wheat flour? I am desperate, please help!
Robert,
Check in Indian grocery store they carry 2-3 different brands read the ingredient one will be gluten free for sure. I am sorry I should have done that next when I am there I will do.
Burlap and barrel sells a hing cut with turmeric
Hi Manjula,
Thanks for your wonderful vegetarian website!! Though as a Buddhist vegetarian there are certain vegetables/spices that I cannot use, hing for example is one (the others are garlic, onion, shallot, leek and chives). Yet when I read the introduction, you’ve also mentioned it is one of the essential spices in Indian vegetarian cooking. I wonder if you could suggest other subsitutes for this particular spice? Many thanks 🙂
Are you sure that you have your information correct?
From what I have read, hing is used by Jainists as a substitute for all the other items that you have mentioned.
And Tracey, hing is to be kept in airtight container away from other spices. As foul-smelling as it may be, the taste mellows out when it is cooked.
Hi Kevin,
I am a Buddhist, not a Jainist.
Jainism and Buddhism have very different practices and doctrines, despite they may seem to share minor similarities for people who are not familiar with Buddhism. In Buddhism we follow Buddha’s teachings and words (recorded into the so-called Buddhist scripts or sutras), which have pointed out several vegetables we should avoid, and asafoetida is definitely the one of the listed vegetable. If you are interested, please refer to Shurangama Sutra, Lankavatar Sutra and Brahmajala Sutra. Hence I would not apply the practice of Jainism in my diet, especially for a Mahayana Buddhist.
Carolyn. Kevin is quite right. Hing is from a tree, it is not related to onions or garlic. The Buddha never taught not to eat onions or garlic either. That came later, when monastic rules were formed, perhaps a few hundred years later. The reason is that The five vegetables garlic, Allium chinense, asafoetida, shallot and mountain leek, are abstained from by some Buddhists because they excite the senses. Eaten raw they are claimed to cause distemper, and cooked are claimed to be aphrodisiacs. In each case this disturbs a peaceful mind. I know this convo is old but I don’t want other people to read wrong information about Buddhism.
I am in South Africa, where can i find asafetida (hing). Please send me an email at dchinounye@yahoo.com
Hi Daniel, you don’t mention where about in cape town you live, but you should be able to get it at any spice shop. There is spice mecca in kenilworth centre, Datar in Rylands, The curry pot in lansdowne road, claremont and Fargo’s on the border of woodstock observatory. Hope this helps.
Can you get asafetida at atlas trading?
Hi Daniel,
Did you manage to get hold of some Asafetida in Cape Town? I am curious to know where if you did.
Looking forward to hearing from you
When I add hing to the hot oil, as the recipes say, it never dissolves fully. It leaves little black grains in the oil, instead. What am I doing wrong?
I bought this Hing and other spices at a local Indian store. When I got home I sat the bag on the counter and went upstairs. An hour later I came downstairs to this foul odor in my house. I couldn’t figure what it was. That hing Unopened still in plastic bag is now in my garage. I can’t believe how strong it smells. I can’t even imagine eating it. That smell will be coming out my pores & my house will smell forever with it. Now I know why the apartment complexs in Parsippany nj smell. It’s that hing.
HI THERE..I BUY HING POWDER ON EBAY WEBSITE..ITS ALWAYS FRESH AND ITS CHEAP…THEY SALE IT BY DIFFERENT OUNCES…SO GO TO http://WWW.EBAY.COM AND U WILL FIND IT THERE AS HING OR ASAFETIDA..THANKS
I prefer purchasing grocery items via “brick and mortar” stores rather than the internet, but thanks, Samantha.
Greetings, Chef Jain. I believe we live in the same County.
I shop occasionally at North Park Produce in Chula Vista. The hing powder sold here
has been on the shelf too long and has lost it’s potency. Can you suggest a market that
receives a current stock of hing powder? I notice that you use the Ramdev brand. Is is
available in the States? Thank you very much and best wishes.
Does anyone else have a suggestion? Thanks.
Shop Indian grocery stores that have a lot of customers so hopefully there’s more turnover and restocking of merchandise. Good quality hing should last for several years in an airtight container. Make sure you get pure hing and not the kind that is mixed with other ingredients. Pure hing will come in smaller containers because it is much more potent.