What Is Hing (Asafoetida)? Types, How to Use It and How to Check Purity
CHAKKI PEESINGA pinch of hing in hot ghee is the smell of dal tadka in millions of Indian kitchens. Raw hing smells so strong that it is often called "devil's dung" in English, yet in a tadka it turns mellow and savoury, a little like onion and garlic. Almost every home uses it, but very few people know where it comes from or what is actually in the dabba.
Quick answer: Hing (asafoetida) is a dried gum resin from the roots of Ferula plants, grown mainly in Afghanistan, Iran and Uzbekistan. Most hing sold in India is compounded or bandhani hing: the resin mixed with gum arabic and edible starch or flour so it is easy to use. Add a small pinch to hot oil or ghee for a few seconds at the start of a tadka, then add the rest of your ingredients.
Did you know? India uses about 40% of the world's hing but grew almost none of it until recently. It imports around 1,200 tonnes a year from Afghanistan, Iran and Uzbekistan (source). In 2020, CSIR-IHBT began India's first hing cultivation in Kwaring village in the Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh. The resin forms in the plant's roots and is tapped like rubber, and a plant takes about five years to yield it (source).
Raw Hing vs Compounded (Bandhani) Hing
| Raw hing (resin) | Compounded / bandhani hing | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Pure dried resin, in lumps or tears | Resin blended with gum arabic and edible starch or cereal flour |
| Form | Hard, sticky lumps that must be broken | Free-flowing powder or soft lump |
| Strength | Very strong; tiny amounts | Milder per pinch; easy to measure |
| Where you see it | Specialist spice shops | Most hing dabbas in Indian kitchens |
Chakki Peesing Special Hing is compounded asafoetida made to a traditional formulation, with a strong, pungent aroma and a fine texture.
What FSSAI Requires in Hing
FSSAI's food standards set separate rules for asafoetida and for compounded asafoetida (source):
- Compounded asafoetida may combine one or more varieties of asafoetida with gum arabic, edible starches or edible cereal flour. It must have an alcoholic extract of at least 5%, and it must not contain foreign resins such as colophony, coal tar dyes or mineral pigments.
- Asafoetida itself must have an alcoholic extract of at least 12% and no more than 1% starch.
These limits matter. In August 2026, FSSAI prohibited two brands from selling compounded hing after samples failed the 5% alcoholic extract requirement (source).
How to Use Hing
- Heat the fat first. Warm oil or ghee until hot but not smoking.
- Add a small pinch. About ⅛ teaspoon of compounded hing is enough for a dal serving 4. Raw resin needs far less.
- Fry for only a few seconds. Hing burns quickly and turns bitter. Add jeera or mustard seeds with it, then the rest of your ingredients straight away.
- Or dissolve it. For chaats, raitas and pickles, mix the pinch in a spoonful of warm water first.
Where to Use Hing
- Dal tadka, sambar and rasam
- Kadhi and besan dishes such as besan chilla
- Chole, rajma and other beans
- Aloo and gobhi sabzis
- Pickles and chaats
- The haldi-hing flavour of our roasted makhana
Many Jain and Vaishnav households use hing in place of onion and garlic, because it gives a similar savoury depth.
How to Check Hing Purity at Home
FSSAI's Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test (DART) guide lists two water tests for asafoetida (source):
- Soapstone or earthy matter: Shake a small amount with water and let it settle. Soapstone or earth settles at the bottom.
- Non-edible gum or resin: Powder 1 g, add a teaspoon of water and shake. Pure asafoetida forms a milky white solution with no sediment.
Keep in mind that compounded hing contains starch or flour by design, so some cloudiness is expected. The strongest everyday check is smell: good hing has an overpowering, pungent aroma even through a closed lid.
Is Hing Gluten-Free?
Pure asafoetida resin does not contain gluten. Compounded hing, however, is often made with wheat flour as the carrier, so many powdered hings are not gluten-free. If you avoid gluten, check the label for the type of flour or starch used, or look for a rice-based compounded hing.
How to Store Hing
- Keep it in a tightly closed, airtight container. Its smell can spread to other spices.
- Store it away from heat and moisture; damp hing forms hard lumps.
- Use a dry spoon every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hing made of?
Hing is a dried gum resin from the roots of Ferula plants. Most hing sold in India is compounded, meaning the resin is blended with gum arabic and edible starch or flour.
Where does hing come from?
Mostly Afghanistan, Iran and Uzbekistan. India imports around 1,200 tonnes a year and began growing hing in Himachal Pradesh in 2020.
What is bandhani hing?
Another name for compounded hing: asafoetida mixed with gum arabic and edible starch or flour so it is easy to measure and use.
How much hing should I use?
About ⅛ teaspoon of compounded hing for a dish serving 4. Fry it in hot fat for just a few seconds.
Is hing gluten-free?
Pure resin is. Many compounded hings use wheat flour, so check the label if you need to avoid gluten.
Why does hing smell so strong?
The resin contains strong-smelling sulphur compounds. Cooking briefly in hot fat mellows the smell into a savoury flavour.
Add a Pinch of Real Flavour
Chakki Peesing Special Hing is compounded asafoetida with a strong, authentic aroma, made for everyday tadkas. Pair it with our jeera and A2 ghee. For colour without heat in the same tadka, see our guide to Kashmiri lal mirch.
Packed in a shared facility that also handles nuts and seeds. This article is general food information, not medical advice.