I recently noticed from my favorite blogs that simply sharing a personal recipe or a short story isn’t as engaging. Alongside this thought, I spent weeks browsing through my photo archives for various reasons. And I decided: from now on, I'll be pairing delicious food and health stories with the prelude that inspired them. After all, everything has a story...
This was my first trip to India and, I believe, my first visit to Asia in general. Skipping Agra would have been, at the very least, a crime. There’s nothing new to say about the Taj Mahal, and not much to add about the city itself. Seven years ago, it wasn’t particularly large, but it was crowded with tourists and dotted with small hotels. Beggars and local residents depended on the tourist trade. But this was where our incredible adventure by local transport to Varanasi began — a city I still consider one of the most unique places in the world.
Beyond the sacred Ganges River, the proximity to death, and the deep spiritual immersion, there is another remarkable thing about Varanasi — it is entirely vegetarian. A great place to start getting acquainted with Indian spices.
Ayurveda calls asafoetida one of the most beneficial and digestive-stimulating spices, as well as one of the most pungent-smelling. Though, honestly, it’s not far off from garlic and onions.
Asafoetida is a traditional Ayurvedic spice, closest in taste to dried garlic. It enhances appetite and improves digestion. It is sold in powdered form, crushed into small granules, or mixed with salt in health food stores and Indian specialty shops. Occasionally, it can be found in regular grocery stores. The spice itself is a light yellow, grainy mass with irregularly sized granules.
What is Asafoetida?
The asafoetida plant is a nearly two-meter-tall shrub related to fennel. Its thin branches and sparse leaves don’t hint at the fact that this plant is one of the most popular spices in India and Central Asia. When harvested, the plant is cut to release a dark amber-colored milky sap, which solidifies into a thick resin. The more it dries, the stronger its sulfurous aroma becomes. The white powder sold as a spice is actually ground resin, often mixed with flour.
Asafoetida is a traditional Ayurvedic spice with a garlicky flavor; it enhances appetite and improves digestion; also known as hing.
On the palate, asafoetida is an intense blend of fried garlic and roasted onions with a distinct sulfuric note. One of its quirks is its incredibly high volatility and pungency. It is best stored in a tightly sealed jar. Before being used in recipes, asafoetida is often sautéed in ghee or vegetable oil to mellow its sharpness and soften its flavor, leaving behind a pleasant aroma and a slight spiciness.
Kadhi (Yogurt soup with asafoetida)
- 4 cups yogurt
- ½ cup milk
- 3 tbsp. chickpea flour
- a few sprigs of cilantro
- a pinch of turmeric
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 fresh chili peppers or dried chili flakes
- 2 cm piece of ginger
- 2 tbsp. ghee
- ½ tsp. mustard seeds (preferably black mustard seeds)
- ½ tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. asafoetida
- 3 cloves
- a pinch of cinnamon
- 1 tsp. sugar
- salt
Blend the yogurt, milk, chickpea flour (which prevents the yogurt from curdling due to the spices), chopped cilantro, turmeric, chopped garlic, chili, peeled and chopped ginger, and 1 cup of water in a blender until smooth.
Heat ghee in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, cumin, and asafoetida. Cook, stirring, until fragrant — about 30–40 seconds. Add the cloves and cinnamon, cooking for another 1–2 minutes.
Pour in the yogurt mixture, add sugar and salt, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring frequently until the soup thickens slightly.
Pumpkin with asafoetida
- 2 tbsp. ghee or cold-pressed vegetable oil
- 1 small leek
- ¼ tsp. asafoetida
- 1 medium bowl of chopped pumpkin
- 3 tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp. cream/milk (or additional ghee)
- salt
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped leek and sauté for 3 minutes. Add asafoetida, then chopped pumpkin. Sauté, stirring often, for another 2 minutes.
Add the parsley, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the pumpkin softens.
Stir in the cream and salt, and let it simmer for another 2–3 minutes before serving.
Lazy Version – mix the spices with slightly softened butter, rub over pumpkin pieces, and bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, depending on the variety. Roast until golden and caramelized.
Kadhi (Yogurt soup with asafoetida)
- 4 cups yogurt
- ½ cup milk
- 3 tbsp. chickpea flour
- a few sprigs of cilantro
- a pinch of turmeric
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 fresh chili peppers or dried chili flakes
- 2 cm piece of ginger
- 2 tbsp. ghee
- ½ tsp. mustard seeds (preferably black mustard seeds)
- ½ tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. asafoetida
- 3 cloves
- a pinch of cinnamon
- 1 tsp. sugar
- salt
Blend the yogurt, milk, chickpea flour (which prevents the yogurt from curdling due to the spices), chopped cilantro, turmeric, chopped garlic, chili, peeled and chopped ginger, and 1 cup of water in a blender until smooth.
Heat ghee in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, cumin, and asafoetida. Cook, stirring, until fragrant — about 30–40 seconds. Add the cloves and cinnamon, cooking for another 1–2 minutes.
Pour in the yogurt mixture, add sugar and salt, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring frequently until the soup thickens slightly.
Pumpkin with asafoetida
- 2 tbsp. ghee or cold-pressed vegetable oil
- 1 small leek
- ¼ tsp. asafoetida
- 1 medium bowl of chopped pumpkin
- 3 tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp. cream/milk (or additional ghee)
- salt
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped leek and sauté for 3 minutes. Add asafoetida, then chopped pumpkin. Sauté, stirring often, for another 2 minutes.
Add the parsley, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the pumpkin softens.
Stir in the cream and salt, and let it simmer for another 2–3 minutes before serving.
Lazy Version – mix the spices with slightly softened butter, rub over pumpkin pieces, and bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, depending on the variety. Roast until golden and caramelized.
