As reported on October 31, 2020, scientists from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) — Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) based in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh announced that they had planted 800 saplings of Ferula asafoetida (Hing) in the cold desert region of Lahaul and Spiti under the aegis of the State Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh. The IHBT plantation drive aims to make India reduce its reliance on imported raw stock. India imports about 1,540 tonnes of raw asafoetida annually from Afghanistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan spending approximately 942 crore annually on it. For this project, seeds imported from Iran in 2018 were used under the supervision of National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR). The Institute raised the plants at the Centre for High Altitude Biology (CeHAB — a research centre of CSIR-IHBT) in Ribling, Lahaul and Spiti. The project is expected to bear fruit, or resin approximately in five years.
What is Asafoetida?
Asafoetida or Hing is an integral part of Indian cuisine and natural medicine, which is extracted from the fleshy roots of the perennial ferula (part of the celery family) as an oleo-gum resin. Because of its popularity, it has earned many flattering names like ‘devil’s dung’ or ‘food of the devils’ in the West, due its pungent smell. In India, it is called hing in Hindi and perungayam in Tamil. Regarded as a standalone element or a component of spice mixtures, it is one of the most valuable commodities in India. Apart from cooking, it is also used in Worcestershire sauce and some fine perfumes. It can be best cultivated in cold desert areas of India, such as Lahaul and Spiti, Ladakh, parts of Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
Significance of Asafoetida
The spice is an essential part of the kitchen, irrespective of its country of origin. It is bitter in taste and hot in effect, and can also be used to enhance flavours in roasted meat dishes.
As per Ajit Bangera, senior executive chef, ITC Grand Chola, Chennai, the South Indian sambar is a favourite dish that makes best use of hing. It gives a comforting onion-garlic flavour in curries. It has a lingering taste that adds a special umami flavour. It is best to keep asafoetida sealed in an airtight container.
It is used as a condiment in small quantities as it has a powerful aroma. However, you will quickly discover there is no harm done if you use too much because cooking longer mellows it down. It is generally added to food at the time of tempering. Roast a bit of hing in hot oil for approximately five seconds and then add the other ingredients. You should be quick in doing this as it burns very easily. In compounded form, it is always used after crushing it and blending into a smooth paste with water. If used directly, it could leave a bad aftertaste as the particles do not dissolve completely.
Besides, it also has medicinal qualities that have only enhanced its place in India. As per chef and food writer Mallika Badrinath, asafoetida is often used as an instant remedy for heartburn, indigestion, constipation, and reflux. It has the ability to balance all the three doshas.
Commercial Profile
Commercially, it is sold mixed with wheat flour and gum arabic to temper the acrid taste of the resin. The additives help to adjust the concentration of the asafoetida according to its usage. Asafoetida for appalams, for instance, will be different from that used for pickles or medicines. Two types of resin are available in the market—Hing Kabuli Sufaid or milky white asafoetida and Hing Lal or red asafoetida. The white or pale variety is water soluble, whereas the dark or black variety is oil soluble. Its price keeps fluctuating during the ban on resin collection every two years in the countries of origin. Its cost is 10,000–15,000/kg. Its business has been steady even during lockdown because of the consistent demand for it in India.
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The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) is known for its cutting- edge R&D knowledgebase in diverse Sc &Tech areas. Having a pan-India presence, CSIR has a dynamic network of 38 national laboratories, 39 outreach centres, 3 Innovation Complexes, and 5 units. Its R&D expertise and experience is embodied in about 4,600 active scientists supported by about 8,000 scientific and technical personnel. It covers a wide spectrum of science and technology, such as radio and space physics, oceanography, geophysics, chemicals, drugs, genomics, biotechnology, and nanotechnology to mining, aeronautics, instrumentation, environmental engineering, and information technology. It provides significant technological intervention in many areas with regard to societal efforts which include environment, health, drinking water, food, housing, energy, farm and non-farm sectors, and human resource development.
The Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology is located in Palampur, in the state of Himachal Pradesh. A multidisciplinary group involved in research activities on plant science, phytochemistry, natural colours and essential oil of plant origin and chemical technology to develop bioactive molecules and their synthesis. Chemical modification and formulation of value-added products from plant sources. Designing and processing technology, agrotechnology and release of complete production package for important medicinal and aromatic plants for pharmaceutical and essential oil industry.
The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), headquartered at New Delhi, draws guidelines from the Crop Science Division of ICAR, Institute Management Committee, Research Advisory Committee, Institute Research Council, and Germplasm Advisory Committees. It has five divisions, three units, and an experimental farm at its Headquarters in New Delhi, and its 10 regional stations, are located in different phyto-geographical zones of the country. It played a pivotal role in the improvement of various crop plants and diversification and development of agriculture in India through germplasm introduction from various institutes/ organisations located abroad, and germplasm collection from within and outside the country.
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Courtesy: TheHindu