While many home cooks consider it an indispensable spice, its strong smell has often divided opinion, especially among those unfamiliar with its culinary use. In the caption accompanying its Instagram post, TasteAtlas explained that many foods with powerful smells have historical roots in survival rather than novelty. One user commented, “Asafoetida is not stinky lol 😂 it gives a garlic-like pungent smell to foods that don’t have garlic.” Why does hing smell so strong and why does cooking change its flavour? View this post on Instagram A post shared by TasteAtlas (@tasteatlas) Story continues below this adHow do biology and culture shape the way we perceive hing?