Asafoetida

Asafoetida is the dried latex, or gum oleoresin, exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several perennial herbs in the carrot-family genus Ferula, mainly Ferula assa-foetida and Ferula foetida, with Ferula narthex also cited as a source; it is produced across Iran, Afghanistan, India, Central Asia and northwestern China. The raw resin has an acrid, bitter taste and a strong, alliaceous odor from its organosulfur compounds, but cooking with it produces a more pleasant result, and dishes seasoned with it do not smell bad. In cooking it serves as a complement or substitute for garlic and onion, especially in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, and it holds cultural significance in Hindu and Jain traditions in India; its use in Western cooking has remained limited, though it appears in products such as Worcestershire sauce.