Native to Iran and Afghanistan, asafoetida is a spice that is obtained from the resin of the Ferula assa-foetida plant and is known for its extremely pungent smell. In India it is also known as Hing or Heeng (हींग). For those who are not accustomed to the strong aroma, the flavor of hing can be a bit overwhelming. Hing is available in two forms – in its pure form (this is usually a hard, resin block) and in compounded form. Compounded hing is where it’s mixed with wheat to reduce the pungency and make it more consumer friendly. After conducting two rounds of taste tests, we chose MDH Hing (Top Pick) as one of the best hing brands in India. The flavor it imparts to the dal using minimal quantity is superlative. We Also Recommend Everest Hing.
From using it for its medicinal purposes to adding it to tadkas on dals, hing is a highly used spice in Indian cuisine. To find the best hing brand, we picked eight brands of compounded hing available around the country to test them for their flavor and pungency.
Table of Contents
Best Hing Brands in India – Everything You Need To Know
Here is all that you need to know about our review of the best hing brands.
1. Available Variants
Asafoetida is of two types by nature –
- Hing Kabuli Sufaid (Milky white asafoetida)
- Hing Lal (Red asafoetida)
For consumers, it can be available in its pure form or compounded form as described above.
2. Available Sizes
Available sizes of compounded hing in India are –
- 10 grams
- 25 grams
- 50 grams
- 100 grams
3. Price Range
For a 25 gram bottle of hing, the average price is between Rs 40/- to Rs 60/-. Some brands may be priced higher or lower than this. This is an average estimate.
4. Shelf Life
The shelf life can vary between 12-24 months.
5. Packaging
Compounded hing is packed in small plastic jars and is sealed shut. Some brands may have a revolving cap to ease the sprinkling of hing.
Due to their extremely high pungency, these are usually bottled in air-tight containers.
Quick Comparison of The Best Hing Brands
| Brand | Buy Now On Amazon | Buy Now On Flipkart |
| MDH | Add To Cart | – |
| Everest | Add To Cart | Add To Cart |
| Patanjali | Add To Cart | Add To Cart |
| Aachi | Add To Cart | – |
| Ramdev | – | Add To Cart |
| Catch | – | Add To Cart |
| LG | – | Add To Cart |
| Hamdard | – | – |
Our Review Factors
Stage 1: Dry inspection
The dry inspection stage included us gauging the ingredients, packaging, label information and appearance of the hing.
Stage 2: Blind Test (Aroma)
During this stage, we were presented with hing samples one by one in a small petri dish to test it for its aroma and pungency. The name of the brand was unknown.
Stage 3: Mishry Secret Sauce – Dal tadka taste test
Hing is primarily used in India to add to dal tadkas, so testing it for a tadka was of prime importance. We tasted the dal with hing jeera tadka to check which dal has the best aroma of hing and which one imparts the best flavour out of the eight brands being reviewed.
For this, we boiled arhar dal with turmeric and salt. The dal was then equally divided into eight portions. Each dal was topped with a simple hing-jeera tadka. In ½ tsp Amul ghee, we added ⅛ tsp hing and ⅛ tsp jeera. We standardized the amount of hing used because this also helped us gauge the potency.
Our review parameters are –
1. Ingredients
The main ingredients of a compounded hing are – Wheat flour, Edible gum, and Asafoetida. Most brands also mention the percentage of wheat flour used in the hing. We checked all the brands for these.
2. Aroma + Pungency
The characteristic smell of hing is often described as sulphuric. It’s not something that is considered very pleasant or aromatic. In its uncooked form it’s much more pungent but it reduces significantly once it’s added to hot oil/to a dish.
We checked all the brands for their pungency and the aroma they add to a simple dal.
3. Flavor
Hing imparts an umami flavor to the planiest of dishes, especially a dal. While most people might be reluctant to try this out around the world, most Indians understand the depth of flavor, almost a layer of savoriness this adds.
We were looking for the dal with the best, most pronounced hing flavor.
4. Appearance
Fine powder, granulated or a mix of both? Is the color light or dark?
5. Potency + Value For Money
We added the same quantity of hing to all the dals to check the potency. How much of hing is needed to make a bowl of dal significantly flavorful? This in turn also helped us check if the brand is value for money.
Best Hing Brands in India – Detailed Review
1. MDH Super Hing – Mishry Top Pick
The pungency is the highest in MDH. While this is the most expensive hing amongst all the contenders, the fact that only a small quantity is required to impart a significant flavor makes it worthwhile.
- We liked the strength, aroma and pungency of the hing.
- Contains only 45% of wheat flour which is comparatively lesser than other brands.
- Looking for a flavorful, pungent hing for your kitchen? The one by MDH is the best there is in this segment. All you need is half a pinch.
2. Everest Hing Powder – Also Recommended
- We liked the aroma and flavor it lends to the dal.
- This is an economical pick.
- This also contains 45% refined wheat flour.
3. Patanjali Bandhani Hing
The hing has a highly pungent aroma, but the umami flavor is reduced in comparison. That said, it does enhance the flavor of the dal.
4. Aachi Compounded Asafoetida Powder
This hing has medium pungency and it will definitely take a bit more quantity to impart the desirable flavor.
5. Ramdev Strong Brand Hing
The pungency level is high, but within the standardized quantity we added to the tadka, this wasn’t as flavorful. You will definitely need more hing to flavor the dish.
6. Catch Compounded Hing
- Low pungency of the hing.
- Low potency and the fact that it failed to impress us flavor wise.
Catch Compounded Hing vs. Catch Premium: A Flavorful Face-Off
7. LG Compounded Asafoetida Powder
8. Hamdard Hing Powder
It did not win our review because of its peculiar aroma that wasn’t very hing-like. It’s definitely very low on pungency and doesn’t impart a good flavor to the dal.
- The aroma is not very hing-like.
- Low pungency.
- It doesn’t enhance the flavor of the dal in any way.
Our Top Picks & Recommendations
A good hing powder should be pungent and turn the dish flavorful using even the smallest quantity. We chose MDH as our Top Pick because it fulfilled both those points. Even though it’s the most expensive out of all the brands, the fact that only a little amount was needed to flavor a bowl of dal makes it high in potency and thus value for money.
We Also Recommend Everest Hing as it is an economical pick. This brand also does a good job of flavoring the dal wonderfully. The pungency is a bit lower than MDH.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is consuming hing in curries good for health?
Hing is known for its digestive benefits, so yes, consuming hing in moderation is not a bad practice.
2. Do these hing brands contain preservatives?
No. None of the brands contain any preservatives.
3. Why is hing mixed with flour?
The smell of raw hing is so strong and overwhelming, that it cannot be consumed in its pure form. For it to become edible, it is mixed with flour. In some places refined wheat flour is used, while some use rice flour.
4. Which is the best hing brand amongst these?
As per our review MDH is the best hing brand. It has the highest pungency amongst all the brands and very little is required to make a simple dal shine.
5. How to store these after unpacking?
They all come in small plastic jars that are air-tight. Make sure you close the lid securely.
Final Words
Do you use hing often in your kitchen? If yes, what do you use it for apart from tadkas?
