Ferula Asafoetida · பெருங்காயம் · Pure Gum Resin Powder
The Ancient Digestive Powerhouse That Transforms Every Dal, Sambar & Curry You Cook
Perungayam (Asafoetida) is the single most important spice for anyone who cooks lentils, beans, or legumes — a tiny pinch in hot ghee unlocks a deep, savoury umami that no other ingredient can replicate. Sourced as raw Ferula gum resin and stone-ground into a fine powder without fillers or wheat-flour bulking agents, Moolihai’s Perungayam delivers the full-strength aroma and digestive potency that commercial grocery-store hing simply cannot match. In Siddha and Ayurvedic traditions, this resin has been prescribed for centuries as a first-line remedy for bloating, colic in infants, and sluggish digestion — which is exactly why Tamil households have always kept a jar of Perungayam within arm’s reach of the stove. Whether you’re tempering a rasam, soothing a colicky baby’s tummy, or seasoning a pot of sambar for the week, this is the real thing — potent, pure, and farm-sourced from India.
100% Pure Resin
No Wheat Filler
Baby-Safe Traditional Use
Ships via DHL/UPS/FedEx
What Is Perungayam (Asafoetida)?
Perungayam is a dried gum resin harvested from the taproot of the Ferula plant — a tall, fennel-like herb that grows in the dry, rocky highlands of Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia. When the root is cut, it exudes a milky latex that hardens into a brownish-yellow resin with an intensely pungent, sulphurous aroma. This raw resin is then sun-dried and ground into the fine powder known across India as Hing, Hingu, Kaayam, or Perungayam depending on the region.
What makes Perungayam remarkable is its transformation through heat: the raw powder smells almost unbearably strong, but the moment it hits hot oil or ghee, it blooms into a smooth, onion-garlic-like savour that becomes the aromatic backbone of countless Indian dishes. This is why Jain and Brahmin vegetarian cuisines — which avoid onion and garlic — have relied on Perungayam for millennia as their primary flavour-deepening agent. In Siddha medicine, it is classified as a potent Vaatham-balancing herb, prescribed to expel gas, ease abdominal cramping, and stimulate digestive fire (Agni). Tamil grandmothers have applied a warm paste of Perungayam and castor oil around the navel of colicky babies for generations — a practice still common in households across Tamil Nadu today.
8 Reasons to Keep Pure Hing in Your Pantry
From digestive comfort to culinary depth, Perungayam earns its place as a daily essential — not just an occasional spice.
Powerful Digestive Aid
Perungayam is one of the most effective natural carminatives known in traditional medicine. It works by stimulating the secretion of digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines, helping break down complex proteins and starches that often cause gas and bloating. Siddha practitioners have long classified it as a first-line treatment for Vaatham-type digestive disturbances. Adding even a small pinch to lentil dishes or bean curries can significantly reduce post-meal discomfort, making legume-heavy diets far more comfortable for daily consumption.
Traditional Infant Colic Relief
Across Tamil Nadu and South India, Perungayam has been the go-to remedy for infant colic and gas pain for centuries. The traditional method involves dissolving a tiny amount of Perungayam in warm water or mixing it with castor oil, then gently applying it around the baby’s navel area. This time-tested practice is still widely followed by Tamil families and is one of the key reasons this product is categorised under Baby & Mother Care at Moolihai. Always consult your paediatrician before using any topical remedy on infants.
Onion-Garlic Flavour Substitute
For those following Jain, Brahmin, or sattvic dietary practices that exclude onion and garlic, Perungayam is an indispensable flavour tool. When bloomed in hot oil or ghee, it releases organosulphur compounds that mimic the deep savoury notes of alliums without using them. This makes it essential for creating complex, layered flavours in vegetarian cooking while adhering to strict dietary traditions. Many Western chefs are also discovering Perungayam as a secret weapon for adding umami depth to plant-based dishes.
Makes Legumes Easier to Digest
Dal, rajma, chana, and other legumes are nutritional powerhouses but notoriously difficult to digest for many people. Perungayam contains compounds that help neutralise the oligosaccharides in beans — the sugars responsible for intestinal gas production. This is precisely why traditional Indian cooking always adds a pinch of hing during tempering before adding lentils or chickpeas. It is not merely a flavour choice but a functional culinary technique refined over thousands of years of plant-based cooking.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Research has identified several bioactive compounds in Ferula Asafoetida, including ferulic acid and umbelliprenin, that demonstrate anti-inflammatory activity. In traditional Siddha and Ayurvedic medicine, Perungayam has been used to manage conditions associated with chronic inflammation, including joint stiffness and respiratory congestion. While modern clinical trials are still ongoing, the traditional evidence base spanning centuries of documented use is substantial. Pairing it with Moolihai’s Turmeric Curcumin supplement may provide complementary anti-inflammatory support.
Respiratory & Cold Support
In Siddha medicine, Perungayam is classified as a warming herb that helps clear chest congestion and ease respiratory discomfort. Traditional practitioners recommend dissolving a pinch in warm water or milk to help loosen mucus and soothe persistent coughs. When combined with Moolihai’s Sukku Karupatti (Dry Ginger Palm Jaggery), it creates a time-honoured cold remedy still used across Tamil Nadu during the monsoon season. Its expectorant qualities make it a valuable addition to the home remedy toolkit during seasonal changes.
Transforms Simple Dishes
A single pinch of quality Perungayam can elevate a basic dal from bland to restaurant-quality in seconds. The key is blooming it in hot ghee or oil at the very start of your tempering process — this activates the sulphur compounds and converts the raw pungency into a mellow, deeply savoury aroma. It is the foundational flavour in rasam, sambar, kuzhambu, and dozens of South Indian staples. Many experienced cooks consider Perungayam as important as salt: invisible when done right, but immediately missed when absent.
Rich in Bioactive Compounds
Perungayam contains a complex mixture of resin (40-65%), gum (20-25%), and volatile essential oil (10-17%) rich in organosulphur compounds like disulphides and trisulphides. These compounds are responsible for both its distinctive aroma and its biological activity. Ferulic acid, a key phenolic compound in the resin, has been studied for its antioxidant and neuroprotective potential. Unlike commercial hing that is diluted with wheat flour or rice flour to cut costs, Moolihai’s Perungayam preserves this full spectrum of active compounds in their natural concentration.
Names for Asafoetida Around the World
This ancient spice has travelled across cultures and languages — here’s what it’s called in the traditions that have used it the longest.
Tamil
பெருங்காயம் (Perungayam)
Sanskrit
हिङ्गु (Hingu)
Hindi
हींग (Hing)
Malayalam
കായം (Kaayam)
Telugu
ఇంగువ (Inguva)
Kannada
ಇಂಗು (Ingu)
English
Devil’s Dung / Asafoetida
Persian
Anguzeh (آنغوزه)
How to Use Perungayam
Whether you’re cooking a weeknight dal or soothing a baby’s tummy, here are the most effective ways to use pure Asafoetida.
Classic Tadka / Tempering
Heat 1-2 teaspoons of Moolihai’s Organic Cow Ghee or oil in a small pan until shimmering. Add a pinch of Perungayam (about ⅛ teaspoon) along with mustard seeds and curry leaves. The hing will sizzle and bloom within 3-5 seconds — pour this aromatic tempering over cooked dal, sambar, rasam, or any lentil dish. The key is timing: add the Perungayam just before the mustard seeds start to pop so it doesn’t burn. This single step transforms plain lentils into a richly flavoured, easy-to-digest meal.
Vegetable Curries & Stir-Fries
For vegetable-based dishes, add a small pinch of Perungayam to your base spice mix when sautéing onions, tomatoes, or other aromatics. It adds a savoury depth that amplifies the natural sweetness of vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and potatoes. In South Indian cooking, it’s almost always paired with turmeric, chilli powder, and curry leaves for a complete flavour foundation. Try it in kootu, poriyal, or avial for authentic Tamil Nadu-style vegetable cooking.
Pickles & Preserves
Perungayam is a critical ingredient in many traditional Indian pickles (achar/oorugai), especially mango, lemon, and mixed vegetable varieties. It serves a dual purpose: flavour depth and natural preservation support. Mix it into your pickle masala along with fenugreek, mustard, and chilli for an authentic South Indian pickle that improves with age. A quarter teaspoon per jar is typically sufficient — the flavour intensifies as the pickle matures over weeks.
Traditional Colic & Gas Relief
For infant colic (a practice still followed across Tamil Nadu), dissolve a tiny pinch of Perungayam in a few drops of warm water to form a thin paste, then gently apply around the baby’s navel area. For adult digestive discomfort, dissolve ¼ teaspoon in a cup of warm water and drink after meals. Pairing this with Moolihai’s Ginger Infused Honey can make the taste more palatable while adding complementary digestive benefits. Always consult your paediatrician before applying any remedy to infants.
Warm Digestive Drink
For a quick after-meal digestive, dissolve a small pinch of Perungayam and a pinch of rock salt in a cup of warm water. Sip slowly after heavy meals to ease bloating and support digestion. For a more complex Siddha-inspired digestive tonic, combine it with a piece of Moolihai’s Sukku Karupatti (Dry Ginger Palm Jaggery) dissolved in hot water — the combination of dry ginger, palm jaggery, and hing creates a warming, gas-expelling drink that’s been used in Tamil households for generations during cold weather and digestive discomfort alike.
Perungayam at a Glance
Available Sizes
100g · 250g · 450g
Form
Fine Powder
Botanical Source
Ferula Asafoetida
Certification
FSSAI Certified
Key Compounds
Ferulic Acid · Organosulphurs
No Fillers
No wheat flour or rice flour added
Processing
Sun-Dried & Stone-Ground
Diet
Vegan · Gluten-Free · No Additives
Ships Worldwide from Tamil Nadu
Every order is carefully packed and dispatched from our facility in Tamil Nadu, India via premium express carriers.
United States
5-7 Business Days
United Kingdom
5-7 Business Days
Canada
5-7 Business Days
Perungayam FAQ
Most commercial hing brands sold in supermarkets are heavily diluted — typically containing only 3-15% actual Asafoetida resin, with the rest being wheat flour, rice flour, gum arabic, or other fillers used to bulk up the product and reduce cost. This is why grocery-store hing often tastes weak and requires large quantities to achieve any noticeable flavour. Moolihai’s Perungayam is pure, undiluted Ferula Asafoetida resin that has been sun-dried and ground without any bulking agents or artificial additives. This means you need far less per dish — a tiny pinch delivers more aroma and digestive benefit than a full teaspoon of diluted commercial brands. The colour, smell, and potency will be noticeably stronger than what you may be used to, which is exactly how Perungayam is supposed to be. If you’ve only ever used diluted hing, start with half the amount you normally use and adjust upward from there.
Yes — Moolihai’s Perungayam is 100% pure Asafoetida resin powder with no wheat flour, rice flour, or any other filler added. This is an important distinction because the vast majority of commercial hing brands use wheat flour as a primary bulking agent, making them unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity. Since our product contains only the pure gum resin of the Ferula plant, it is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and free from all common allergens. If you have been avoiding hing due to gluten concerns with other brands, Moolihai’s version is safe to use — though as always, we recommend consulting your healthcare provider if you have severe allergies.
Perungayam should be stored in a tightly sealed, airtight container — this is non-negotiable because its potent sulphurous aroma will permeate everything nearby if left loosely covered. A glass jar with a screw-top lid works best; many Tamil households keep a dedicated small steel container (known as a dabba) exclusively for their hing. Store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Properly stored, pure Perungayam retains its potency for 2-3 years or longer — in fact, many traditional practitioners believe it improves slightly with age as the resin continues to cure. You’ll know it’s still good as long as it has a strong aroma when you open the container; if it smells flat or chalky, it’s time for a fresh batch.
The topical application of a Perungayam paste around an infant’s navel is one of the oldest and most widely practised traditional remedies in Tamil Nadu and South India for relieving colic and gas in babies. Generations of Tamil grandmothers have used this method with confidence. The typical approach is to dissolve a very small pinch of Perungayam in a few drops of warm water (or mix with castor oil) and gently massage around the baby’s navel in a clockwise direction. However, it is essential to consult your paediatrician before using this or any traditional remedy on infants, especially for babies under six months. Every baby is different, and a healthcare professional can advise on appropriateness, quantity, and frequency for your child’s specific needs. Moolihai’s Perungayam is free from artificial additives, which makes it a cleaner option for traditional topical use.
The intense, sulphurous smell of raw Perungayam is caused by organosulphur compounds — the same family of chemicals that gives onions and garlic their pungency. In its raw form, pure Asafoetida can smell overwhelmingly strong (hence its English name “Devil’s Dung”), and this is actually a sign of quality and potency. The transformative magic happens when Perungayam hits hot oil or ghee: the heat breaks down the volatile sulphur compounds and converts them into mellower, deeply savoury aromatics that smell like caramelised onions and roasted garlic. This flavour transformation is what makes it indispensable in Indian cooking. If your hing doesn’t smell strong in its raw form, it’s likely been heavily diluted with fillers. Within 5-10 seconds of contact with hot fat, the harsh raw smell disappears completely and is replaced by a rich, appetising aroma.
While Perungayam is generally safe for culinary use in the small amounts typically used in cooking, there are some situations where caution is warranted. People taking blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants like warfarin) should consult their doctor before consuming Perungayam in therapeutic quantities, as some compounds in Asafoetida may have mild blood-thinning properties. Pregnant women are traditionally advised to avoid consuming large amounts of Perungayam, as it is considered a uterine stimulant in Siddha and Ayurvedic medicine — though the tiny pinch used in everyday cooking is generally not a concern. People with known allergies to plants in the Apiaceae/Umbelliferae family (which includes fennel, celery, and carrot) should exercise caution. If you are taking blood pressure medication or have a bleeding disorder, consult your healthcare provider before using Perungayam as a supplement or in therapeutic doses beyond normal cooking quantities.
Disclaimer: Statements regarding this product have not been evaluated by the FDA or Indian Medical Association. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Traditional and Ayurvedic/Siddha uses are referenced for informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any herbal product for specific health concerns, and consult your paediatrician before applying any topical remedy to infants.
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