So you actually have asafoetida? How bad is the smell really and how do you store it?
I store it in a small glass canning jar. It has a farty smell at first, but not STRONG, and it changes as soon as it is cooked to a soft garlicky smell. Lovely addition of many foods. I add it to the oil at the beginning of cooking...when the oil is hot, and before anything else. It is very cheap...a little goes a long way. blacksalt
yes, the smell is very strong. its funny how kalanamak described it, i like hing though. i have hing powder, and it comes in a plastic bottle (small one). yes, a little goes a long way, mine is atleast a year old!
My spell-checker complained about "hing" in that recipe, so I did a quick Google and found that there is indeed a thing called "hing" (and I can see why you would choose the Bengali option rather than the English version, "Devil's Dung". ;-)
Thanks for the link Phred. I normally look at www.foodsubs.com, it is an interesting site and surprisingly caters to quite a lot of indian/meditterenean spices too.
Since childhood, I have disliked mustard oil due to its smell and flavor. Any light cooking oil is what I would suggest. I would not suggest olive oil coz it is thick, but in this recipe, you may as well even use olive oil as it is being used only in limited quantity.
I refrain from using olive oil only when deep frying. I hope this answers your question.
It is powerful--I have my jar taped shut, and you still know it's there in the cabinet. But it doesn't seem to get into anything else (like the cereal or crackers), and is lovely in cooking.
"maxine in ri" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
It is powerful--I have my jar taped shut, and you still know it's there in the cabinet. But it doesn't seem to get into anything else (like the cereal or crackers), and is lovely in cooking.
maxine in ri
re asafoetida powder: http://www.foodsubs.com/Onionsdry.html (This Indian spice has a strong, pungent flavor and is used as an onion substitute by people who can't eat them for religious reasons.)
I've often wondered about why one region of India uses onion and another uses asafoetida. I didn't know that there was a 'religious connection.
I put the small plastic container of asafoetida inside a mason jar and close the lid on tight. If ever I get a whiff or hint of it when I open the cabinets, my saliva glands get started. um um good!
Jainism and people who follow this religion do not eat anything that grows below the ground (rooted vegetables) which includes garlic, ginger, onions, potatoes etc. They may use hing as a subsitute.
On Mon 28 Nov 2005 11:02:21a, wrote in rec.food.cooking:
Quoted message said:
Yup.
Jainism and people who follow this religion do not eat anything that grows below the ground (rooted vegetables) which includes garlic, ginger, onions, potatoes etc. They may use hing as a subsitute.
Ronnie
Do you happen to know the reason for this? I won't say "logic", because to me it is not logical. :-)
-- Wayne Boatwright *¿* ____________________________________________
Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day. Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974
Well, I am sure that it may not sound logical to an american mind 🙂
The reason is that to uproot garlic, ginger, potatoes, onions you kill the plant. They do not kill anyone knowingly, thats why no meat, no eggs and no food products that are used after the plant is killed. Plucking of veggies, fruits etc. is allowed.
<[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Well, I am sure that it may not sound logical to an american mind 🙂
The reason is that to uproot garlic, ginger, potatoes, onions you kill the plant. They do not kill anyone knowingly, thats why no meat, no eggs and no food products that are used after the plant is killed. Plucking of veggies, fruits etc. is allowed.
Ronnie
Thanks for this explanation, Ronnie. Eggs? I believe we eat mostly UNfertilized eggs in the U.S. So in India the eggs are all considered fertilized by the Jains? Or is it that just in case they have been fertilized, all eggs are verboten? Thanks, Dee Dee
The reason is that to uproot garlic, ginger, potatoes, onions you kill the plant. They do not kill anyone knowingly, thats why no meat, no eggs and no food products that are used after the plant is killed. Plucking of veggies, fruits etc. is allowed.
Quoted message said:
Thanks for this explanation, Ronnie. Eggs? I believe we eat mostly UNfertilized eggs in the U.S. So in India the eggs are all considered fertilized by the Jains? Or is it that just in case they have been fertilized, all eggs are verboten?
I think with vegans it's about using the animal to make food for you, keeping it captive or whatever, hence no milk, either. Cannot speak for the Indian people Ronnie is talking about. I think their diet would be called fruitarian, but I don't really know.
It is powerful--I have my jar taped shut, and you still know it's there in the cabinet. But it doesn't seem to get into anything else (like the cereal or crackers), and is lovely in cooking.
maxine in ri
That is good news. now I won't be too afraid to buy it, if I should come across it in a store.
Jainism and people who follow this religion do not eat anything that grows below the ground (rooted vegetables) which includes garlic, ginger, onions, potatoes etc. They may use hing as a subsitute.
On Mon 28 Nov 2005 01:53:43p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it ?
Quoted message said:
Well, I am sure that it may not sound logical to an american mind 🙂
The reason is that to uproot garlic, ginger, potatoes, onions you kill the plant. They do not kill anyone knowingly, thats why no meat, no eggs and no food products that are used after the plant is killed. Plucking of veggies, fruits etc. is allowed.
Ronnie
Okay, I understand. I can't say I could ever agree, but I do understand. Thanks, Ronnie.
-- Wayne Boatwright *¿* _____________________________________________
I understand as well, it is difficult to imagine until you have experienced it yourself. However, when people choose not to eat eggs, they dont eat any kind of eggs, we dont debate on fertilized or otherwise.
Our culture seems very unsual at the beginning, but once you understand things, everything makes sense. Just like the western world. I constantly face such questions from my american friends and other non-indian friends, and have gotten used to clarifying things.
On Mon 28 Nov 2005 06:43:58p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it ?
Quoted message said:
I understand as well, it is difficult to imagine until you have experienced it yourself. However, when people choose not to eat eggs, they dont eat any kind of eggs, we dont debate on fertilized or otherwise.
Our culture seems very unsual at the beginning, but once you understand things, everything makes sense. Just like the western world. I constantly face such questions from my american friends and other non-indian friends, and have gotten used to clarifying things.
That's one of the wonderful things about different cultures. There is usually a lot to learn and to understand.
Quoted message said:
Well, happy cooking to all of you!
And to you, Ronnie.
-- Wayne Boatwright *¿* _____________________________________________
Thanks for the link Phred. I normally look at www.foodsubs.com, it is an interesting site and surprisingly caters to quite a lot of indian/meditterenean spices too.
Since childhood, I have disliked mustard oil due to its smell and flavor. Any light cooking oil is what I would suggest. I would not suggest olive oil coz it is thick, but in this recipe, you may as well even use olive oil as it is being used only in limited quantity.
I refrain from using olive oil only when deep frying. I hope this answers your question.
Thanks for your reply and advice, Rupen.
Incidentally, that site <www.foodsubs.com> you mentioned looks pretty interesting -- certainly worth adding to my Favo[u]rites. ;-)