Asafoetida is the most common ingredient you may see in many Indian and Mexican cuisines. It is also known as hing in India. This powder works really well with veggies, snacks, and meat dishes. Sometimes, it sucks when you run out of the main ingredient. If you are in the same situation right now, you don’t need to worry much. You can still make your delicious recipe using the asafoetida substitute.
Before going ahead to know asafoetida substitutes, you have to know what is asafoetida actually. Knowing the main ingredient really helps to choose the best substitute for a recipe.
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What is Asafoetida?
Asafoetida is a dried gum or resin that is obtained from the roots of the Ferula plant. It is commonly dried, ground, and yellow powder. It’s native to Afghanistan and Iran. It’s basically known for its strong and pungent smell. Some people refer to as stinking gum. When it’s cooked, its flavor and smell become more enriched and can be described as similar to those of leeks and garlic.
Health Benefits of Asafoetida:
- Asafoetida is good for digestions.
- It may help relieve asthma.
- It may lower blood pressure levels.
- Asafoetida may relieve in menstruel pain.
- It may reduce headaches.
What can I Substitute for Asafoetida?
Have you ever been stuck in between your cooking process? If yes, you are at the right place. Are you struggling with not having the asafoetida in your kitchen/pantry? Don’t worry! We have a huge list of the best substitute for asafoetida that you can use in your recipe without ruining it.
1. Garlic Powder:
Garlic Powder is often available in the kitchen. It’s one of the easiest asafoetida alternatives that you can use in a recipe. Garlic powder resembles the taste of asafoetida at some point. The less strong aroma and flavor of garlic powder don’t dominate the whole recipe. This is the reason we recommend garlic powder as an alternative in recipes where asafoetida (hing) is not the main ingredient.
You can use garlic powder in sauces, curries, and other similar dishes. The 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder is enough to substitute 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida in a recipe.
2. Onion Powder:
If you don’t like the pungent taste of garlic, you can use onion powder as a good asafoetida replacement. Some onion powders contain a small amount of garlic powder which makes them an excellent substitute in place of asafoetida. You can sprinkle onion powder in soups and salad recipes too.
You should opt for onion powder only if the recipe is not heavily dependent on asafoetida. If you don’t mind the strong flavor of onion powder, you can add more. Otherwise, you can take 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder to replace 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida.
3. Onion Paste:
Onion paste is the most common ingredient you may see in every Indian cuisine. You can make your own onion paste by adding some half-cut onions and 4-5 cloves of garlic to make the best blend. When using onion paste, make sure not to caramelize it otherwise it wouldn’t resemble the same taste of asafoetida in a recipe. You just only have to add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of onion paste to substitute asafoetida (hing).
4. Shallots:
Shallots are similar to onions, but it’s not hard to realize the same flavor between shallots and asafoetida. You only have to simply cut a shallot and saute it in clarified butter or vegetable oil. This will help in releasing the flavor and providing an almost similar taste to asafoetida. When it comes to the proportion of adding shallots depends on the recipe requirements.
5. Garlic Flakes:
Garlic flakes are an essential spice for soups, steaks, and stews. Garlic flakes are less pungent as compared to garlic powder. They are basically dehydrated types of garlic that you can use in a recipe very easily. You only need to sprinkle around 1 teaspoon of garlic flakes to replace 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida.
6. Garlic Chives:
Garlic chives belong to the onion family. They have a milder flavor when cooked. Garlic Chives are good asafoetida alternative. They are considered good medicine to release fever. The best of using garlic chives in a recipe is, that they are not strongly affecting the taste and texture of the food. That’s why there is no limit to using garlic chives in a recipe. You can add as much as you need.
7. Sauteed Garlic:
Sauteed garlic is a very crucial seasoning in most of my dishes. Fresh garlic works pretty well in place of asafoetida. I usually choose sauteed garlic when cooking kale, bean, and other dishes. You only need two cloves of garlic and saute them in clarified butter or vegetable oil, then end up in the cooking process of your recipe using sauteed garlic cloves.
8. Garlic and Leeks:
Garlic and leeks work perfectly when it comes to replacing asafoetida from a recipe. Garlic has a stronger flavor profile whereas leeks have a softer flavor profile. But, when they both are mixed together, provides the best substitute for asafoetida (hing). You have to saute them before using them in a recipe. Keep in mind leeks are stringy by nature which is not a bad thing, but they can change the texture of lightweight and smooth foods as well.
9. Chives:
Chives belong to the allium family like onions. Yes, it has a similar flavor to onions but chives are milder. Chives keep the texture and volume of a recipe consistent. You can also use garlic chives which resemble both garlic and light onion flavor. This flavor is quite similar to asafoetida (hing). You can use chives as an asafoetida replacement in a recipe.
10. Minced Onion and Minced Garlic:
If you don’t have any onion or garlic powder in hand, you can make a nice asafoetida alternative using fresh onion and garlic. You should make this substitute only when you run out of any other substitute we have listed here. You only need to mince them and saute them in a pan before using them in a recipe. You should use 1/2 of this mixture to replace 1/4 of asafoetida in a dish/recipe.
11. Minced Shallots and Minced Garlic:
As you can use garlic and onion together in a recipe, likewise, you can also use both shallots and garlic together but in minced form. Shallots have a very similar taste to onions. But, they are milder when compared to onions. You can enjoy many Indian cuisines using shallots and garlic together. You just have to saute minced shallots and garlic in an equal proportion in a pan before using them in any recipe, but make sure not to caramelize them.
12. Onion Paste and Minced Garlic:
You don’t need to mince onion separately if you already have onion paste in your refrigerator/kitchen. You just have to add 1/4 teaspoon of minced garlic to 1/2 teaspoon of onion paste and saute them for a while in vegetable oil in a pan. This mixture is for those who prefer fresh onion and garlic rather than asafoetida. This combination is enough to replace 1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida (hing).
13. Onion Powder and Garlic Powder:
As we have mentioned in our list, both onion and garlic can be used individually in a recipe. But, you should use both ingredients together to achieve the best result. Asafoetida combines the sweet flavor of onion and the pungent flavor of garlic. So, you can get the same level of distinctive taste when using onion powder and garlic powder together. The amount you should take is 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture of onion and garlic powder to 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida.
14. Chives and Minced Garlic:
Chives resemble the onion flavor which makes it a perfect companion to minced garlic to replace asafoetida. You can end up your cooking process by adding minced garlic and chives to the recipe to achieve the same flavor of asafoetida (hing). You only have to saute both chives and minced garlic before using them in a recipe. When it comes to the amount, it depends on your choice and recipe.
15. Shallots and Garlic Powder:
If you are cooking a recipe and looking for an asafoetida substitute and run out of the above-listed substitutes, you can add shallots and garlic powder to the recipe to get the same flavor of asafoetida. Make sure chives are perfectly chopped and sauteed before using them in a recipe. When replacing asafoetida, 1/2 teaspoon of chives is enough to substitute 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida (hing).
FAQ:
What does Asafoetida taste like?
It has a unique concentrated rotten garlic and/or onion like taste. When you cook asafoetida, it becomes somewhat bitter and acidic.
Why Asofoetida Stink?
Asofoetida basically a dried resin or gum that is obtained from the root of the Ferula plant. The high content of sulfur is responsible for asafoetida stinking.
Is Asafoetida same as Fenugreek?
No, Asafoetida is not same as Fenugreek. It is a dried gum having a bitter taste and a strong smell whereas fenugreek seeds are leguminous herbs with yellowish-brown in color.
Now, you know the best Asafoetida Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also purchase from Amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
