Madhur Jaffrey dispenses with many spices in her Curry Easy recipes, but she cannot do without one from a three-metre tall fennel plant, which is little known outside India - and smells disgusting.
Asafoetida is made from resin taken from the root of a plant that grows in Iran. A popular seasoning in ancient Greece and Rome, it has long since fallen out of use in European kitchens.
In Indian cooking, however, it remains a key ingredient. You may have eaten it hundreds of times in curries without having heard of it.
The spice is known as hing in India - though its foul smell has earned it names such as devil's dung and stinking gum.
It has to be stored in an airtight container to avoid tainting other food in the larder. Even then, a little of the pungent aroma can seep out. The smell disappears during cooking.
Jaffrey says that asafoetida "is one of the seasonings that I consider essential as it goes to the heart of Indian cooking".
So why does she regard it as so important? "All spices in India serve a dual purpose," she said. "They contribute flavour and they have medicinal value. The flavour of asafoetida is like that of truffles or garlic. It adds depth, a particularly Indian depth found nowhere else.
"In terms of medicinal value, asafoetida is a digestive. No beans or split peas or certain vegetables are cooked without it."
Asafoetida is available at Lulu hypermarkets, Co-ops and other outlets in the UAE for around Dh6 per 100g.
* Colin Simpson
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Golden Shoe top five (as of March 1):
Harry Kane, Tottenham, Premier League, 24 goals, 48 points
Edinson Cavani, PSG, Ligue 1, 24 goals, 48 points
Ciro Immobile, Lazio, Serie A, 23 goals, 46 points
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Premier League, 23 goals, 46 points
Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga, 22 goals, 44 points
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Company Profile
Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi
RESULTS
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Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
TALE OF THE TAPE
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
Record: 16-0-1 (11 KOs)
Age: 29
Weight: 146.2lbs
Height: 175cm
Reach: 173cm
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
TYPES%20OF%20ONLINE%20GIG%20WORK
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