Known as hing in Hindi, asafoetida (also spelled "asafetida") is the dried latex gum of an herb in the celery family. It is sold as a coarse yellow powder that smells mildly sulfurous, kind of like eggs. Don't go getting cold feet on me though - this spice is unlike anything I've ever tried before. One pinch of asafoetida in a recipe is enough to change the flavor of a dish from good to "holy smokes!" The flavor is similar to alliums like onion or garlic, but much more distinctive. It's hard to describe accurately, so just trust me on this one. If you can get your hands on a bottle, definitely get it. While you can definitely omit it from this aloo gobi recipe, just know that asafoetida will make your dish taste better. PLEASE NOTE: Many commercially available brands of asafoetida are processed with wheat. If you are gluten free, be sure to check the ingredient label.