Hing (noun.) or Asafoetida (English translation) resin is a gum-like substance collected from plant roots, widely used in the preparation of savoury dishes and curries in the Indian subcontinent. The word asafoetida comes from the Persian word is used for resin and foetidus means “smelling fetid”.
Ferula asafoetida is a herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae family. It is used in to prepare almost all types of lentil dishes (just like turmeric and vegetables). It has a garlicky taste and can be used as a replacement for garlic in vegetarian dishes.
In Ayurveda, onion and garlic are not considered sattvic(pure) but many vegetarian dishes are made with it. Hing can be used instead of garlic and onion in certain recipes (mostly used in Indian cuisine to avoid onion and garlic) to prepare a sattvic food. Ayurveda claims Hing is useful in curing digestive disorders.