Asafoetida (hing) is a pungent dried resin from the roots of Ferula plants, used in tiny quantities in Indian cooking, particularly in lentil dishes and vegetable preparations. Its powerful sulphurous smell transforms on cooking into a mild, onion-garlic flavour. It is valued as a digestive spice and is used by Jain and some Hindu communities who avoid onion and garlic.
Use a pinch (1/8 teaspoon or less) per recipe — it is extremely pungent raw. Add directly to hot oil at the start of cooking for 5-10 seconds to bloom and mellow the flavour before adding other ingredients.
Where Asafoetida Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 690 mg | 86% | |
| Phosphorus | 50.0 mg | 7% | |
| Iron | 22.2 mg | 159% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 1.00 µg | 0% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.300 mg | 2% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.040 mg | 3% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Maltose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Beta-carotene | 4.00 µg | — | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →