imguva saameta: (1) imguva kaTTina guDDa (E vyakti aina maroka pErumOsina kuTumbamutO sambamdhamErpaDinapuDu; maraNa'namtaram) (2) ishTamaina ** imguvatO sama'namaTa (little crude)
Imguva (asafoetida or foetida or ferula) is a condiment (spice/aromatic ingredient) in the Indian cooking. Many love it and others hate it in our dishes. Too much of inguva upon addition not only spoils the flavor but also the taste. If one fries pOpu along with imguva, the whole house smells like Imguva and the person carries the aroma to his/her work place as the volatile thermally-degraded imguva adsorbs on to the hair, dress, coats, and finally skin.
We used to have a couple of South Indians as research fellows in our lab. They relegiously used to go home for lunch exactly at noon. After they come back to the lab one can say from the distance what they had for lunch. One should definitely had eaten either "sa'mba'ru" or "moorukuLumbu" (majjiga pulusu). When they come in, the air quality is a good indicator of their lunch menu.
One of those guys used to share the locker with an American. The American researcher used to complain "Man! I don't know what your fellow-countryman is doing at home but the whole locker smells INDIAN. It is too strong man! He carries volatile aldeydes on his coat. My wife is threatening me that she will force me to sleep with the dog."
While I was a kid, they used to sell 2 types of imguva: (1) semi-solid and paste-like; (2) rock-like. Gradually the powder is being sold in the market. My mother used to shout "Put the lid back on the imguva Dabba! Otherwise it loses its potency." That is true! It has sulfur-containing compds. which contribute to its powerful aroma. They oxidize in the atmospheric oxygen. That is it! Once it the sulfur-compds. get oxidized, the imguva smells no more like imguva. It also contains powerful natural products which have antiseptic, antiinflammatory, and antiepileptic properties. It is given for histeria and epilepsy. It is also used as an antidote against scorpion sting. In rural Andhra imguva is widely used as aborticide (It is presumed to possess aborticidal action).
ba'limtara'LLu in Andhra are given a type of vumDalu made with minapappu and mentulu and other spices and these vunDalu are liberally mixed with imguva. It seems these vumDalu enhance lactation among mothers. They are great for the taste buds but smell like imguva (very strong). If you eat the freshly prepared appaDa'la pimdi mixed with siima mirapaka'yalu (the hottest red chillies) and imguva, you will know the importance of imguva in our cooking.
Imguva ca'ru contains excess imguva and the karivEpa'ku (curry leaves) float on the top. Avaka'ya without imguva is useless. One important property of imguva besides its aroma is its role in food preservation. Imguva contains several antioxidants and especially sulfur-rich compounds. The sulfur-rich compounds act as antioxidants. Probably, imguva will not allow the bacteria to grow in our foods (unrefrigerated ones especially).
"I hate imguva in memtivamka'ya koora" said my brother-in-law. "Please add imguva liberally in bemDaka'ya koora" said my uncle. "I like vamka'ya koora with imguva only" said my brother. "bemDaka'ya koora with out imguva tastes great" said my sister-in-law. Well! My mother is insane after hearing all these tasters' choices. That is what imguva does back home in naTTillu.
Imguva: Ferula foetida Family: Umbelliferae (Coriander/Dhaniyalu/kottimeera family English: Asafetida Sanskrit: Hingu Hindi: Hing Telugu: Yimguva
Also known as : Food of the Gods, Devil's Dung
Imguva is not indigenous to India. It is a native of Afganisthan and Persia. Probably the Persians introduced it in India or it was borrowed from Persia centuries ago.
Kandaharre Hing is only available in Indian markets (appears reddish yellow).
Anecdotal documentations indicate that imguva is good for brain (humans) and a good remedy for asthama and other respiratory disorders.