The Strange Flavor of Parthian Chicken from Ancient Rome

[@TastingHistory]

What foods have you tried where the odor makes you wonder what the first person to eat it was thinking? Also, EDIT: The Hou Hanshu is from 445CE (not BCE as it says in the episode)

[@sirloin8745]

TastingHistory luckily famine in USA is rare. But in China there is an old saying that they 'eat anything on four legs except the table'. You live in a country of abundance. Having said that, looking forward to watching, & maybe trying this! 😋

[@attonthegreat]

I'm so excited for the next video! In Iran there's a food called کله‌پاچه (kallee-pache) which is basically a head of a lamb (including the brains) which to me is.. questionable lol. Im down for most of the meat in the face of the lamb because its really, really tender! If you haven't had tongue its pretty delicious but I can't bring myself to go anywhere near the eyes or the brains and it makes me think who on earth originally thought it would be a good idea to eat the brains of a lamb

[@deacowden8749]

Anything fermented, really.

[@TastingHistory]

@@attonthegreat Eek! I don't know that I'd have the courage.

[@arleeneruiz5019]

The bull's testicles in Spain 🥴

[@apocalypticexcavator5454]

i believe the "dissolving asafetida separately" thing wasn't meant to change the flavor of the chicken, but rather save your bowls. Some aromas tend to infuse wooden or clay bowls like forever, so perhaps it just tells the cook to dessignate a special small "asafetida-dissolving-bowl" that's gonna stink of it forever without risking you'rll loose a larger, multipurpose bowl.

[@prestonjones1653]

That makes a lotnof sense actually

[@Nemshee]

Anybody else read that as 'save your bowels'? No? Only me? Okay, carry on... 😅

[@KayElayempea]

That makes sense, I thought maybe the chicken was supposed to be marinated in the first sauce before the asafetida was added.

[@amyfay5791]

@@Nemshee i also saw that lol

[@Thrillhou]

@@KayElayempea that's my thinking too, but either could be true. I'd have to see the original Latin to know whether it's "pour them one at a time" or "pour one, then pour the other (a short time later) or (after a while) or (just before putting in oven). It would depend on the prepositon and the use of an ablative, or the specific verb. If I think of it, I'll look up the original text and follow up on this when I get back to my desk.

[@overestimatedforesight]

"I'm sure many people found my channel from Garum" Yep. The algorithm really liked that one.

[@codysing1223]

So happy we did. Always wanted to make Garum since I read about it... but didn't want to muck it up.

[@InsaneD602]

This popped up while I was watching work out videos no idea why but I’m with it

[@merten0083]

fr, I heard about garum from the video of Roman soldiers making dinner, then I saw this guy make his own garum and I was hooked

[@riograndedosulball248]

I really want to make Garum, but the prospect of messing it up with fermented fish and then eating it... I'm not sure of it

[@justinheath72]

How does he know!?

[@BacchaeOphanim]

"I don't know what I'm tasting." History - you're tasting history.

[@RayIveySeriously]

Very nice.

[@ABCantonese]

KZbin needs that range of selections like Facebook.

[@BramVanhooydonck]

emphasis on you're

[@ChelseaH1]

That made me laugh more than it should’ve.

[@LBrobie]

...and it tastes like chicken. lol!

[@Maichen13]

You can find Asafoetida in Indian grocery stores, it's usually in a white bottle labeled Hing. Jain cuisine doesn't use onion or garlic, so they use it to give a similar flavor.

[@samspade2657]

Not just Jains, but Vaisnavas do not use onion or garlic. No ancient temple uses onion or garlic. They use hing instead.

[@megancrager4397]

@@samspade2657 oh cool. Why not?

[@samspade2657]

@@megancrager4397 Because they are karmicly equivalent to eating meat and cloud the mind with passion and ignorance. These items can not be offered to Krsna.

[@Maichen13]

@@feitmeI keep mine in a metal tin to keep down the smell in the pantry. As for cooking with it, try adding it to the oil after it's heated up.

[@samspade2657]

@@feitme You heat up your oil, when it is hot you add your spices, the last item you add is the hing. Let is cook a for a few seconds. Then add your other ingredients what ever they may be. I am a vegetarian, so...

[@AsanpiCh]

The Parthians telling China they had silk competition to lower prices is the most largest brain business practice I've ever heard of in the ancient world.

[@directrulefromgamerchair3947]

"They love me in CHYNA" - The Parthian king, probably

[@Gurpel]

as a guy who read a wikipedia article, i seem to remember that the romans had something called "sea silk" actually.

[@sinisterthoughts2896]

"Largest brain"

[@idrisa7909]

Gurpel yeah that's still made today by a single Jewish family in Italy. They're like... the only few women who know how to make it anymore and I think snails or something provide the fibers?

[@apricotcotlet197]

@@idrisa7909 A sea snail

[@bluebagelman1920]

I’m a history teacher. Your explanation of the ancient Silk Road was one of the best I’ve ever heard! Awesome channel and chicken 🙂

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you!

[@nyanates]

I love history. Can’t get enough of it now that I’m older. I drive my wife crazy at museums because I have to read everything. Teach on!!

[@pirateyarn6331]

Have you tried watching Overly Sarcastic Productions History episodes? Blue (nickname he uses on the channel) also has some completely fun summaries of Western European / Middle Eastern History (his passion is ancient Greece).

[@ebparsa]

He is actually wrong. Persia itself exported a lot of goods such as wine (hence the origin of Shiraz wine). Precious metals such as turquoise, dried fruits and most of all, Persian rugs (the best in the world) and copperware. The list is actually too long to mention. In fact, there was and still is a thing called Persian silk. That was low in quantity but high in quality, which was used in the ever-hungry rug industry.

[@iamarizonaball2642]

@@TastingHistory apologies for the ping, but perhaps you could make a dish from the ancient southwestern united states?

[@ttytty6940]

It’s funny in hou han shu 后汉书 the Chinese described the Parthian people as a honest & benevolent giant white peoples who is good at conducting business 😂😂😂

[@sonikku956]

Well, Iranian and Afghan people are fairly tall today, right?

[@chapiit08]

Well, they are taking revenge now.

[@casinodelonge]

Donald Trump was indeed a time traveler.

[@danle7022]

Good at business, so no

[@alanOHALAN]

The Chinese described the Romans as honest and tall white people, in hou han shu, but they heard from the middle men. Parthians were more like the Huns and Mongols.

[@audram1349]

First things first: Max, I love this chicken, it's a huge hit with the entire family. Thank you for the inspiration to try it! Second, If you're not very concerned about carbs, rice goes wonderfully with the remaining liquids. I just pour it into my instant pot with an equal amount of rice and turn it on. The complex flavors saturate all the rice grains and infuse it with the very essence of Parthian Chicken. It's even great the day after, when all the yummy chicken is naught but a memory!

[@Karenlowry1]

I wonder if jasmine rice would make a good combo with those juices too! I LOVE jasmine rice.

[@audram1349]

@@Karenlowry1 It's what I had also, Karen, it worked out great!

[@Karenlowry1]

@@audram1349 It sounds amazing! I'll have to wait a bit to be able to afford the ingredients what with the holidays coming up quick, but this sounds like something really great to have on a cold January evening :P

[@MNewsTime]

Did you add any water in the pot, or just use the remaining liquid ? Gonna try this recipe next weekend I’ll try the rice as well !

[@noobbotgaming2173]

@@MNewsTime I would assume some water was added. Although not too much because I imagine the chicken juices infuse the rice with flavour.

[@censusgary]

Asafoetida is usually called “hing” in Indian cooking. It’s available at Indian and Middle Eastern grocery stores.

[@frosty_rose1.o169]

Thxs

[@isstuff]

Get another old air tight jar and put that stinky stuff in its container inside the other jar. My partner made some tasty rice in an Indian style with this stuff. I will have to try it in this dish.

[@edgriffin6732]

This is important information. Thanks!

[@Ladeliciadelinda]

I didn’t think it was stinky but my boyfriend said hing/asafetida smells like smelly armpits

[@edgriffin6732]

@@Ladeliciadelinda my whole family smells like smelly armpits so that shouldn't be a problem

[@truthhurtz2793]

I made this yesterday.........ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL !!! I used celery leaf for the Lovage, Fish Sauce + 1 tea. Anchovy Paste for the Garum, and 1.5 tea. of my (very yellow) Asafoetida. I Spatchcocked the Chicken, (which sounds both Immoral, and Illegal), and cooked according to instructions-(I did baste a few times during the cooking process). This Chicken was so very good, and so very easy-I recommend that everyone try it !!! I poured off the juices, refrigerated overnight-skimmed off the fat, (which I definitely saved !!), and poured the de-fatted liquid over the remaining meat the next day. 10 times the flavor as the day before !!! Thank you, Sir for introducing me to a New-Old Way- of cooking chicken !!!

[@AnastaciaInCleveland]

Did you use fresh celery leaf or dried? How much of it did you use? I ask because our host used dried lovage leaves, and the fresh herb to dried herb ratio is 3:1. I would be inclined to use the fresh leaves from celery which is one of the ingredients in my chicken potage and some of my other dishes. Thanks in advance of your reply! ~ Anastacia in Cleveland. PS - Adding anchovy paste to the fish sauce is genius!

[@truthhurtz2793]

I used 1 Tablespoon of dried celery leaf-I eat celery all the time and always save the leaves. Thank you very much for the compliment. 😀

[@AnastaciaInCleveland]

@@truthhurtz2793 Oh, you're welcome! Thanks for your reply! I'm excited to try this dish. Cheers!

[@truthhurtz2793]

@@AnastaciaInCleveland You are going to LOVE it !!! I wish you the best !!

[@AnastaciaInCleveland]

@@truthhurtz2793 Likewise! 🙂

[@bkarsh]

This was a great recipe. It really stunk up my house. However as the cooking completed, the stink subsided, replaced with a wondrous scent. Pretty much echo what Max said, it tastes like chicken - with subtle lovage and umami taste. I found the caraway seed taste pretty prominent. But delicious, and a taste that lingers (in a good way) long after you’re done eating.

[@Corrodias]

Perhaps heating the asafetida changes its character. Very interesting.

[@leek2638]

@@Corrodias It really does. I primarily use it when I make a vaguely Indian style lentils, and I use it the way I do all of the other spices, meaning that I drop them all into hot oil and let them cook for a few seconds before I start adding vegetables. The scent of the asafoetida changes the instant it hits the oil,from fetid to a hard to describe deliciousness

[@miguelreal4459]

Parthians are like the store at my school that sold Arizona cans for $1.25 when they were supposed to be $0.50.

[@DaoFAQ]

You can actually write to Arizona if you ever see their product being sold for more than a dollar, they’ll send the seller a formal letter and if they’re caught doing it again they’ll come in and take all their stock

[@37thgungrunts]

@@DaoFAQ they dont take the stock. They blacklist them.

[@abdielrainbowhellsangel2256]

Report the hell out of em! Hahahaha 🤣

[@Noone-kd1be]

Would definitely like to see the “silfium” episode.

[@coffeefox5703]

@Kendra VanBurkleo What? He has 308K subscribers. Plus Tik Tok is being banned in several countries besides the United States... why the hell would he divert attention from KZbin, to Tik Tok and instragram of all places?

[@mahna_mahna]

@Kendra VanBurkleo I feel like you might have taken a joke as a serious statement.

[@amitkumar-sz6ze]

Parthian empire was a Vedic one and features in Puran. Hing is a daily ingredient in India and other South Asian countries

[@BeaglefreilaufKalkar]

Me too!

[@maddragonqueen_]

YES

[@caKravartin9]

It's a beautiful ingredient and is used quite extensively in Indian cooking and also has some neat digestive properties

[@TastingHistory]

It was at our local Indian market where I got it. I've had to wrap it in 3 layers of protection to stop it from smelling up my pantry.

[@user-nm8nh3kq8y]

@@TastingHistory A pinch of this and a pinch of cumin powder with little salt is an ancient remedy for helping with disgestive problems in India.. it tastes DISGUSTING, but it works better than the best meds😂😂.. Mind you, a PINCH. It's called "Heeng" in Hindi/Urdu, and is a staple in Indian cuisine !! A big fan and a subscriber of your amazong channel !! Hope you and yours are keeping safe.

[@stijn2472]

@@TastingHistory I heard it smells like sulfur. Is that true?

[@nafismubashir2479]

@@stijn2472 no

[@chayew4660]

@@stijn2472 well, yes, kinda, but not really, its more like, a pungent sharp smell

[@cultclassic999]

You can find asafoetida for cheap in an Indian store. It's called "hing" in Hindi.

[@panzerkiller13]

Thank you!

[@bodyofhope]

Hing! I've heard of this! Thank you

[@albirasistendragen]

he literally links to hing on amazon

[@cultclassic999]

@@albirasistendragen Yup, for $13. You can get that at an Indian store for like 2-3$

[@RubyTwilite]

I love local Indian stores! I get the best stuff! I bought Hing but haven't worked up the courage to open the bottle! This video might inspire me.

[@thegeneralissimo470]

The advantage of having a historical food channel is everything is out of copyright.

[@JonatasAdoM]

Is food copyrighted?

[@Lantispitfire]

@@JonatasAdoM nah but pictures could be

[@lotrbuilders5041]

@@JonatasAdoM recipes and recipe books have copyright just like other texts and books

[@MrPlanx]

@@lotrbuilders5041 - Recipes can not be copyrighted or patented.

[@omoleceline3781]

It's not as if he is claiming the recipes as his personal creations.

[@dubheasa]

I'm deathly allergic to garlic and onions. I use asofetida exclusively. It is also known as "Devil's Dung." Once it's bloomed in a bit of oil, the flavor is delightful.

[@bodyofhope]

Same here! Great tip. I miss garlic terribly 😭

[@bethanymcmurtrey9542]

That is the second saddest allergy ever, after chocolate. Nothing is sadder than being allergic to chocolate.

[@NecromancyForKids]

Gee, I wonder who here is vegan...

[@omfug7148]

@@NecromancyForKids LOL

[@Platypi007]

@@VeganV5912 I feel stupider for having skimmed that long pile of nonsense.

[@sweepingtime]

Legend has it that Parthian mounted archers would twist around in their saddles, and take a big bite out of the delicious chicken in their hands. Thus demoralized with hunger, the enemy would be defeated quickly.

[@La_abbess]

😹

[@greatmaddyave]

This is dumb

[@musthavmusic]

@@greatmaddyave it's silly, lighten up

[@YuiFunami]

they also probably tossed some of the powder over walls and stank up the whole city to surrender

[@VidyaAntics]

@@greatmaddyave this is an excellent joke about "Parthian shots" and you have lost your right to comment on humour.

[@Btn1136]

The best part about you being honest when a dish doesn’t turn out well is how sincere you are when it does. Bravo, chef!

[@acristea]

I made it, and it absolutely turned out well. Definitely a weird, but very interesting flavour.

[@colingeer479]

Long term response: I've been making Parthean Chicken since first watching Max's video about it and observing his reaction which was priceless! It has become my most favourite dish and something I offer special guests. I owe Max a huge debt of gratitude for showing me such a different and wonderful taste experience. One point I would like to make is that this recipe always leaves me with a burning question: what other culinary delights have we lost over the centuries? I keep track of the search for silphium and hope it is either found or in some way re-created. To recap, thank you so much for another great video and if you haven't tried making this recipe, I urge you to give it a go!

[@Carloshache]

I cooked this some years ago - remember it as pretty good as long as you don't use too much garum or asafetida. The Parthians were an Iranian peope (from present day Turkmenistan) that ruled over Persia. Later Persian medieval dishes are not very different in their spice composition to this. Here's an early medieval recipe for "sibagh" (sour condiment for fish): asafetida, wine vinegar, celery water, mint water, caraway and murri (a fermented barley sauce - a relative of Garum). Only a few minor differences! Another relative of Garum exists today in southern Iran and some Gulf countries: a fish sauce called Mahyawa.

[@trojanette8345]

Yes, I've heard of it (Mahyawa). My step-dad is Middle Eastern. He introduced it to my mom when they married.

[@SonofSethoitae]

Isn't Turkmenistan a bit too far north for Parthia? I was told that their ancestral land was south of Hyrcania, in modern day north-eastern Iran and south-western Afghanistan.

[@yeastori]

I was so engrossed in the history lesson I forgot we were even making chicken

[@mrartdeco]

Most come here for the history.. so... no wonder

[@TheOtherMontoya]

This

[@prestonjones1653]

@@mrartdeco I like the history I love cooking so.this is like finding the Ark of the Covenant for me.

[@Mo_Ketchups]

This just showed up in my feed this morning outta nowhere, so totally unfamiliar w this guy & channel. What a FANTASTIC concept & format! Ancient recipes w ancient ingredients, and an earnest history lesson as the food’s cooking?! ... WITH graphics?? What I loved most is that he REALLY DID take his time to let the flavors register in his brain, gave careful thought before speaking, and ended w a WELL-considered description of the outcome (knowing his words are the only thing we have to hang our hats on). Bravo, good SIR! Take yerself a bow! 👏👏👏👏 Sure earned MY sub! 👍👍👍

[@kateshiningdeer3334]

This was my first video from this channel - I instantly subscribed!

[@Janettemay64]

I think you would like emmymadeinjapan also, she too goes into where the recipe comes from with a very considered critique on taste and texture.

[@ormonddude]

I ran across the Garum video on Facebook and have Binged nearly his entire production it is very well done informative entertaining and educational - What Else could you ask for?

[@casinodelonge]

Its fab, isnt it?

[@KickyFut]

Just wait till you see all his other videos! He really is a fantastic producer of entertaining content.

[@marcz2903]

Max I really hope you read this, because I made this recipe and I need to share the experience. So, at first I couldn't taste much, but there was something there that was really strange, but weirdly good. So, I reduced the liquid down a bit and then whisked some flour in to make a gravy. Once I did that, I took a bite of the chicken with the gravy and it was delicious. First thing I got was the salt from the garum, then, quickly, the mushroomy umami flavor that you described, which I think was also the garum. Then the bitterness from the lovage, then this strange indescribable flavor just sort of peeks in and disappears, which I realized was the asafoetida. Like rotten onions, but in a weirdly good way. If you know, you know. Anyway, then the Caraway just sort of slowly saunters in with this almost-but-not-quite sweet flavor, and running through all of that was a faint smokey flavor that I couldn't figure out where it came from until I realized came from the wine. I used a red wine blend that had been aged in whiskey barrels. All this happens in just a couple seconds and I had to close my eyes and really focus. What an interesting flavor profile! I'm making this gravy for steak tips, because that mushroom flavor just cries out for a steak!

[@lindapeterson5810]

That is a lovely description!

[@marcz2903]

@@lindapeterson5810 thank you. Also, I can confirm that it makes wonderful steak tips.

[@isstuff]

I will have to reduce it into gravy! I love the flavour but sounds like there is more to be had.

[@ActuallyCPOS]

Thanks for the gravy idea! I made the recipe the first time exactly as described but the second time I made adjustments reading folks’ comments… I made a roux to thicken the abundant amount of sauce leftover, switched from red wine to white, slightly more lovage. MUCH better (for me anyway), and in keeping with ancient themes I served it with farro instead of rice. You get so much gravy afterwards you can put that stuff on a hockey puck and it’ll taste fine

[@marcz2903]

@@ActuallyCPOS mmm...puck. 😋

[@connorgolden4]

Looks pretty damn good. Makes me wonder if Parthian KFC was half the reason the Romans warred with the parthians.

[@TastingHistory]

Ha! Now I want KFC.

[@anoobiscooking1193]

@@TastingHistory pls dont. U make better chicken than kfc...

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

@@anoobiscooking1193 Hey I love KFC

[@anoobiscooking1193]

@@KetchupwithMaxandJose nice. Try makin em. U might surprise urself.

[@13thMaiden]

Hmmmm wonder if you could mix those spices into a flour/cornmeal mix (yes that's the base of KFC's frying batter) and get an interesting fried chicken version of this? You'd have to mix the wine and garum with the egg mixture instead but still, it be interesting to try in a fried format.

[@banditmc12]

Damn crassus just wanted some chicken and the parthians killed him smh

[@sirbillius]

And he sure as hell wasn’t going to share it with an extra 40,000 Armenians.

[@connorgolden4]

Maybe he tried to dine and dash?

[@darthplagueis13]

@@connorgolden4 I mean, you probably don't become one of the richest men in rome by paying what you owe....

[@jree78]

It's times like this I wish I could post the "I understood that reference" meme from Avengers on KZbin.

[@BubbyoftheMountain]

@@jree78 it'll somehow end up being a JoJo reference

[@SwedishSinologyNerd]

Later on the romans actually DID get silk worms, two byzantine monks travelled all the way to China, got some silk worm eggs that they hid in their cloaks (because getting found out was an instant death sentence) and managed to bring them back to Justinian I who created the byzantine silk industry

[@annalieff-saxby568]

I've always heard that silkworm eggs were first smuggled out of China inside a hollow staff.

[@adenbrett8183]

The versions I heard all stated that they hid the worm eggs in their hollow staves

[@fraum3725]

English not being my first language I had to look up some of the ingredients - and was quite surprised: Lovage actually is a well known herb in Germany. It's name is "Liebstöckel" (love stick) but we also call it "Maggi-Kraut" (Maggi herb) because it smells and tastes like the very(!) popular Maggi soup condiment.

[@m_shhh4596]

In Ukrainian we call it "liubystok" - the root still "to love" - both like infinitive form and as an order "love me!". stok... well, doesn't really mean anything now. My grandma used to make a strong "tea" of lovage to rinse my hair "so the boys will love you". Dunno about that effect but it's really good as a hair rinse although has this signature scent (not unpleasant at all but you know it when you smell it)

[@supersonictumbleweed]

Because the main ingredient in Maggi is Liebstöckel!

[@fraum3725]

@@supersonictumbleweed No, in Maggi is no Liebstöckel, it just tastes and smells similar.

[@supersonictumbleweed]

@@fraum3725 weird. I could swore it

[@anarchoutis]

@@supersonictumbleweed Maggi uses celery salt, not lovage.

[@sydneyparker7150]

"Sorry Professor, I can't be on Zoom tomorrow, I have to watch Tasting History when it premieres."

[@maureengrandchamp9329]

Have your professor play it during class. It is educational, after all. Problem solved!

[@averagejoey2000]

@@maureengrandchamp9329 have to be careful about that, Max's eyes might turn all the men gay and all the girls straight. Tasting history made me bi. You've gotta be careful showing off this man.

[@metal_monocle7334]

I mean.... I teach history and cooking (oh and English as a second language), I'd give any student of mine who said that a free pass.

[@JosiahKillion]

Was late to work, myself.

[@andrewhinson4323]

"Oh crap, is that tomorrow?! Yeah, nvm, class is cancelled" - Your Professor, probably.

[@mathcamel]

My husband made this as a centerpiece of our Covid locked down Thanksgiving. It's absolutely amazing, I want to have this all the time. You've been a wonderful inspiration and you've really brought a whole new flavor profile into our lives. Like, I don't know if this recipe is worth a millennium of getting my ass kicked in the desert, but it's certainly worth a few legions.

[@theallseeingmaster]

What kind of wind did you use? I'm considering a Moscato.

[@mathcamel]

@@theallseeingmaster we used a 10$ dry red wine from the local isle of the store.

[@theallseeingmaster]

@@mathcamel what kind of red?

[@mathcamel]

@@theallseeingmaster I've tried, but I dont remember. It was probably a cabsav or merlot. It was red and cheap and that's what recommended it.

[@kristiehollis4018]

Who else gets excited when they see a new episode of Tasting History in the KZbin feed?!?😄

[@twitchycygnus]

Right? He's so new to the platform from what I can tell, but has become so popular.

[@mrsary7868]

This is the only channel where I'm caught up watching the back catalogue so it's nice when a new one shows up.

[@auauau202]

Every. Time.

[@darren_anscombe]

Absolutely ! And now I fancy a glass of red wine nomnomnom

[@heartofgod86]

I know I do!

[@colorsred2771]

China: Has a monopoly on silk Parthia: I'm about to pull a Pro-Gamer Move

[@kevinkasmarski6635]

Ancient parthia- i pull big brain stonks

[@icarusbinns3156]

Parthians were Earth’s Ferengi

[@supergeek1418]

FYI: Asafoetida (when cooked) tastes (and smells) like leeks. It *TOTALLY* loses it's decomposing flesh type smell.

[@MymilanitalyBlogspot]

I’m curious...have you tried the same dish prepared with the different ingredients, and then compared them? Is there a noticeable difference in the resulting taste? Sincere thanks for the leeks tip!

[@supergeek1418]

@iTheGeek Dead cats, dogs, etc. by the side of the road. Other than that, ... I don't want to talk about it.

[@supergeek1418]

@iTheGeek What I meant was the rotting meat sometimes found in the back of the refrigerator, - that I was embarrassed to talk about... Yeh, that's it. Yeh. Promise!

[@NoOne-on4vt]

I'm scared i love the smell of hing 😭

[@supergeek1418]

@iTheGeek Uhh... Out of curiosity, how many does it take to be considered a serial killer? Asking for a friend.

[@_sockninja_]

EDIT: Maggi never contained any lovage, not back in the day and not now. This is easily researched. END OF EDIT. Lovage is my favourite herb, I'd say Maggi liquid seasoning tastes very much like it and could possibly be used as a substitute Edit: Lovage is easy to grow, even in a pot on a balcony. It will survive -20C winters without any special protection. Late autumn I cut the plant back, divide the roots in two to create 2 plants for next year and freeze the chopped leaves. It will lose some flavour after it has blossomed, so cut out the buds if you wish it to remain intense. I use it in almost any savoury dish, particularly soups and stews. Add a couple of fresh leaves when you boil potatoes, it really heightens them.

[@gmaureen]

So glad you mentioned Maggi as a substitute. We don't see lovage in the US but we can buy liquid Maggi (one of my favorites) so this makes preparation a lot easier.

[@_sockninja_]

@@gmaureen It tastes so much alike that the herb is commonly known as "Maggikraut" (Maggi herb) in my country - fun fact: there is no lovage in Maggi - it really boggles the mind :)

[@alanOHALAN]

how did you grow lovage? from seeds?

[@_sockninja_]

@@alanOHALAN I was fortunate to be able to buy an established plant on my local farmers market, since then i divide root cluster i halves every year in fall, keep one half and gift the other. You can grow it from seed, start indoors in February - keep the soil moist but not wet and it will sprout after 3-4 weeks. Plant outdoors in April but do protect them with straw in case of a late frost - or just plant them into individual pots and shelter them overnight. Once your plants are established they will endure up to -4°F or -20°C without any problems or special protection.

[@amymetzger1290]

@@gmaureen I also can find lovage plants in my farmer's market. Maybe you will too! Warning: rabbits eat mine to the ground every year unless I put a cage around it. Once it establishes, it goes forever. Lovage is great in salads.

[@kpujari30]

Asafoetida is a very common ingredient in Indian cooking, almost no tempering is complete without a dash of Asafoetida or "Heeng" as it's called in most Indian languages. Love your videos!

[@PhilMasters]

Yeah, we have asafoetida in the cupboard (in the UK) because we sometimes follow Indian recipes.

[@winterfoxx6363]

Yes! Came here to say this. Also good to know is it usually gets mixed with wheat to prevent clumping and as a filler, so people with wheat/gluten allergies should be sure to check the ingredients

[@reinhardkrauss2981]

Asafoetida

[@leek2638]

It's so addictive!

[@WastingTime1878]

Its an incredible flavour. Dont know how someone can go around making a decent daal with using asafoetida and lamb as well.

[@PolinaCedric]

There's something really wonderful in the fact that after making many Ancient Roman recipes on the channel, Max has definitely learned to recognize that many of them share a taste profile, so alien to us in modern times but very distinctly Roman. Same for Medieval European recipes. The same way we can order Chinese or Indian or any other type of food unfamiliar to us, and recognize the techniques and spice mixtures specific to each culture, so does every time period have its own taste profile. Anyone has a spare time machine to go on a historic food tour with me?

[@Mysteri0usChannel]

I'm German, and when you mentioned Lovage and it being hard to get I was like "What the Heck is lovage?" Looked it up, and found out it's what we in Germany call Liebstöckel which you can get in basically any mall/supermarket.

[@krzysiaj]

same here, I live in Silesia, Poland. It turns out that lovage is „lubczyk” in Polish (and „maga” in Silesian) and is one of the most popular herbs; I cannot imagine a chicken broth without lovage in it.

[@Xia-hu]

@@krzysiaj yeah same here, it's lestyán in Hungarian and grows wild in many gardens over here :D

[@lordmuhehe4605]

Well he said that it grows in central Europe. But it's not widely available in USA

[@krzysiaj]

@@lordmuhehe4605 which is one of many obscure differences between the US and EU, that's why it shocked me so much i wrote a comment about it

[@MichaelROC]

In Mandarin it's 歐當歸, literally means European(歐, ou) female-ginseng(當歸, dang-guey). Like 當歸 itself, the root of lovage is also dried and used in Chinese medicine. But fresh lovage leaves are very rare, if not absent, in the market. In short, I am using celery.

[@TheArtistOfKuroo]

The first sentence of the recipe is really odd in Latin. Apicius says “pullum aperies a navi et in quadrato ornas.” That translates to “You will open the chicken from the ship and arrange it in a square.” The phrase “a navi” is confusing and it looks like some translators have interpreted it as navo (navus) for diligent or careful, but that doesn’t make grammatical or contextual sense with the preposition “a.” I wonder if Apicius was using navis, ship as a synonym for carina, keel, and is saying to cut the chicken open from the keel, effectively a reverse spatchcock.

[@KB4QAA]

I think you are correct about the keel and ship analogy. Likewise a chicken torso has the shape of an upside down ship (flat on one side, rounding to the pointed keel).

[@TheMachineWorker]

That sounds pretty reasonable. In my mothertongue (Norwegian) we use the term 'skrog' which translates to a ship's hull to refer to the breast of poultry when preparing it.

[@NobleHorse-gq4li]

I was thinking the same thing, birds have a keel so it makes sense. This was an awesome episode!

[@Jacob-yg7lz]

It makes sense if you view it as meaning the navel.

[@hooptiej]

makes amazing sense , some folks refer to the chicken breastbone as the keel.

[@bewareoftheginge]

Fun fact about caraway seeds: the molecule you can smell (carvone) is the mirrored molecule of mint. So, if you smell them side-by-side, there are many similarities. It's the same difference with lemon and orange, which are mirrored limonene. *Edit:* I've been informed carvone is in spearmint, but not peppermint.

[@mayurmahale3049]

You mean the l and d variants?

[@5roundsrapid263]

Chiral molecules? Fascinating.

[@bewareoftheginge]

@@mayurmahale3049 Yes, I think L and D stand for Lambda and Delta, yes? I've mostly heard people referring to them as left-handed and right-handed.

[@ragnkja]

To be more specific, R-(-)-carving can be found in spearmint, but not in peppermint.

[@drewgehringer7813]

@@bewareoftheginge close: l- and d- are "levo" and "dextro", the latin for left and right

[@hexa3389]

In French, the translation of asafoetida is literally "devil's shit"

[@theeasternmongoose]

Same in Romania, though we make sure the "shit" part reffers to cow shit

[@larswesterhausen7262]

@@theeasternmongoose "Devil's dirt" in German.

[@linalowinkelman6525]

The dutch translates it to that too!

[@AlexanderVlasov]

Same in Czech, "devil's manure"

[@4philipp]

No wonder it tastes like donkey ass. I’m familiar with THAT flavor

[@kencur9690]

Man I really like the old school graphic, format and styling (which actually requires work, unlike the template stuff on YT). It’s clearly more fun to watch too, and I’m sure this is not just the nostalgia speaking. Great job!

[@LLawliet1011]

your mouth says you can't wait to try it but your eyes say "I'm doing this because I love you guys and if I die remember me fondly"

[@KazakhToon]

He didn't even get it out on a tray

[@justplainrain]

@KazakhToon not nice

[@MintyFarts]

Celiacs beware: Asafoetida aka Hing is often cut with wheat products for indian cuisine. look for pure hing that declares any possible cross contamination.

[@timarigirl32]

Thanks for the warning. So hard to find gluten free spices 😫.

[@directrulefromgamerchair3947]

@@timarigirl32 it is? I'm a coeliac and my spice cupboard is overflowing with exotic spices

[@MintyFarts]

@DurexDurpaneu2 not if you have an autoimmune disease where your body mistakes it for danger and destroys your own organs when you eat it. Believe me, if I could eat it I would. Gluten is amazing, just some of us mutants can't handle its awesomeness.

[@timarigirl32]

@@directrulefromgamerchair3947 I have many spices in my cabinet too. It’s hard to find ones that are truly gluten free where I live. Some of them aren’t even exotic kind of spices. I had to change a brand of black pepper that had been safe/gluten free up until now. Spices are something that should be gluten free naturally but some companies cut corners in their products... 😔🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[@directrulefromgamerchair3947]

@@timarigirl32 this is all news to me lol

[@yamanmustafa7574]

Schwartz (herbs/spices) have Asafoetida in Morissons, and most likely other supermarkets. Priced at £1.65 each or 2 for £2. Be nice if fellow Brits liked this to spread awareness. Saw it in the supermarket today and came straight here to let you guys know!

[@Tiger89Lilly]

If you read the back there's very little asafoetida in the schwarts and other supermarket spices it's mostly tumeric. I suppose you can buy that if you want but you'd probably want 2 tsps due to the very low amount of asafoetida. I personally just buy it online

[@MostlyPonies1]

"Pound some lovage into your chicken's rear end."

[@camilledvorak7151]

🤣😂

[@casinodelonge]

My lucky numbers 1

[@e-d461]

Said the Bishop to the Actress.

[@SharpForceTrauma]

kinda fucked up if you think about how Scootaloo is often nicknamed chicken

[@konradvonmarburg7733]

@@e-d461 LOL

[@DrakesdenChannel]

"Let's cook delicious food!" "A cat died in the wall and it stunk."

[@bellenesatan]

Arizona dead wallcat is the BEST spice, I can't believe the cat came all the way from Rome!

[@bluedragontwo]

A good American alternative to lovage is celery leaves from the small inside stalks, they give the same bitter-sweet flavor.

[@snazzypazzy]

I was really surprised when I googled what lovage was, cause I was expecting something exotic, and I got something that grows very easily in my parents garden. I always think it smells like soup when I rub the fresh leaves. Just overwhelming soup. I'm curious how the taste is when freezedried, because if you pick it and just let it dry naturally you lose nearly all of the flavour.

[@bluedragontwo]

@@snazzypazzy I think the freeze-dried version would retain more flavor than dehydrating but I'm sure you are correct in thinking it would lose something in the process. I love the taste of fresh lovage. It's really easy to grow just in a pot but if you don't have it the celery leaves are the next best thing.

[@dorothydean8643]

Grocery stores often cut the leaves off these days. Dried celery leaves taste nothing like fresh. Frozen might work. Will try that.

[@bluedragontwo]

@hognoxious Borage leaves always reminded me a bit of cucumbers but there is something about it that puts me off.

[@jospinner1183]

@@bluedragontwo I find the flavor of borage leaves appealing, but the leaves are so uncomfortably furry and itchy that I'm never inclined to eat it. I just let it bloom so the pollinators can enjoy it. I've used it as a cocktail garnish before, though. Lovage is super easy to grow, and I recommend it as an addition to any good herb garden. It's a care-free perennial that just sort of hangs out in the garden, year to year. It doesn't spread horizontally from the basal rosette, but it can grow to over 6 feet in height, so it's a good one to stick in the back. Pollinators like the flowers too. A word of caution, however: Do not mistake culinary lovage ( _Levisticum officinale_ ) with any of a variety of related wild species called lovage (mostly genus _Ligusticum_ ). They're all members of the family Apiaceae, and this family has several highly toxic members, including the Old World hemlocks ( _Conium_ spp) and the New World water hemlocks ( _Cicuta_ spp). While there are some edible wild Apiaceae members, it's best not to mess around.

[@aparajitachakraborty9592]

Assfoetida is actually quite heavily used in modern day Indian cooking. it does smell different from most things used in cooking but most people including me actually quite like it but then again we've mostly grown up with it. it was interesting to know its history.

[@ryandean3162]

The Parthian Shot is one of those few tactics the Romans never really got around. Would have required a complete rework of their army composition, since it was mostly made up of heavy infantry without many archers or cavalry. Parthians ride up and start shooting, if the infantry gives chase, they run away while still shooting, if the infantry stops, they stop and keep shooting, if the infantry runs away, they chase and keep shooting. Then you think, well, I'll just dig in and wait for them to run out of arrows, too bad, they already thought of that and have dedicated riders for running between their supplies and the archers for keeping them stocked up. Any army in the open without the means to do the same thing is screwed. I'd also like to point out that it's definitely not Russian furs as the Rus weren't even a thing yet, so Scythian furs probably.

[@zeriel9148]

Thing about the dominance of horse archery is it was tied to its particular place. There's a lot of talk about the Huns destroying Romans in pitched battles, but you never hear about them administrating a massive empire or conquering hill cities. Mounted archers were invulnerable on plains, but not that useful for siegework. Romans built the core of their power on a mountainous peninsula fighting other hill tribes, horse archers wouldn't have done them much good there.

[@Mikeanglo]

Uhm...didn't the Romans sack Ctesiphon like 4 or 5 times during the Roman-Parthian wars? Apparently it didn't screw them enough to stop multiple emperors from invading.

[@zeriel9148]

@@Mikeanglo Afair Parthians cavalry was all nobles/aristocracy, so when they had any casualties it was like losing your senators/political class. Meanwhile for Huns and steppe tribes, the cavalry were... everyone.

[@justdude2775]

So basically it was an ancient version of suppressing the enemy with a machinegun.

[@sephikong8323]

@@Mikeanglo Yep pretty much You have to keep in mind that nobody ever really won these wars, there would always be one of the two empires that made some progress then get pushed back by a counter offensive/they had to retreat for X/Y/Z reason (this extends also to the Sassanian although they had an overall better track record at fighting the roman). And as fearsome as the parthian mounted archers were, they were not their entire military and could not be fully mobilised all the time either (for example, it was their best weapon against the scythian tribes so if they got raided during a war with Rome, which is to say every war with Rome since raids almost never stop, they couldn't send all of their horsemen there, and even their tactical superiority doesn't mean strategic victory either

[@dingus_doofus]

This is the ancient times' General Tso's Chicken.

[@alexanderofrhodes9622]

General Tseasers Chicken

[@mcmh9523]

Centurion Tso's Chicken

[@LixxLixx]

no it isn’t lol

[@connorkenway09]

General Tsosius' Chicken 🤣

[@Majesticleper]

in what way?

[@Stupha_Kinpendous]

Every episode gets better. This one was aces, and your channel is one of my favorites now. Fantastic work, and thank you.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you!

[@kiyoaki1985]

I wondered what "lovage" was, until I looked up the Latin name and then found out what it was in Dutch. Turns out it's something that grows in my garden and which I use in omelettes all the time, it tastes great and has a unique flavor.

[@razalin]

When skilled cooks from Ancient Rome are still blowing culinary minds, thousands of years later.

[@colingeer479]

Yup that's what's so amazing!

[@HannahPartyOfOne]

Plot twist: This is actually a Pokemon Plushie channel disguising itself as a history cooking channel.

[@macaroll]

right?! the plushies are so cute every episode!

[@nomelet01]

Who told you it was suppose to be a secret

[@dogsarmpits]

Shhhh it is a secret

[@mikajen9126]

It's true. Pokemon will not stop until it takes over the world.

[@joelcox8858]

Ditto

[@larsvanderheeg4305]

Once again: Thank you for an interesting show. Yes! Asafoetida mix perfectly with chicken (or silk tofu). If you fry small rings of spring onion or young leek in oil a dash of garlic, and half a dash of habanero, asafoetida, s&p and some freshly grounded coriander seeds you will again find this wonderful taste, now from the mixture of asafoetida and coriander. Post Scriptum: Asafoetida has four names in Sweden: 'asafoetida', 'hing', 'stinknäva' (stinking ferula) and dyvelsträck (the dung of the devil).

[@crystalheart9]

So the smell goes away when you cook with it?

[@crystalheart9]

@@theholypopechodeii4367 Interesting.

[@annalieff-saxby568]

I've always known it as "hing" and use it, when called for, in Indian recipes. Max has opened up a whole world of alternative uses!

[@mdeardley]

Oh god, asafoetida. I used to have a Bangladeshi roommate, and I decided one day to take a good whiff of every one of the numerous spices in the cupboard. Practically passed out from inhaling some of that stuff. There’s a reason it’s the very last ingredient in South Asian masalas.

[@adarshvenkateswaran795]

Waitup it might be because I've grown up with it in a ton of dishes for me, but I really like the smell, and I don't find it extensively strong either. Odd.

[@noanRUA]

Depends on how "diluted" it is I guess, but it's also a powder that gets less smelly as it gets old, so I'd honestly not like to imagine the fresh smell 😅

[@trojanette8345]

LMAO.

[@seoulv8427]

I thought Asafoetida also had the nickname, “devils dung?” As horrible as the smell is, it is being studied for its potential health benefits. THANK YOU for drawing attention to Lovage! I apologize for the following, but it’s the annoying healthcare worker in me. DO NOT use Lovage if pregnant, breastfeeding or if you have kidney issues. Pregnant: There have been cases where it can cause the uterus to contract which in turn can cause a miscarriage. Breastfeeding: There is no definitive study on the effects, but is suggested you stay on the safe side and not risk it. Kidney: It can cause edema (fluid retention) and higher blood pressures. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and the work and time you put into these videos. I just found this channel today, and immediately subscribed. Stay safe and healthy everyone!

[@davidjijo6657]

is it generally harmful to consume?

[@lhpl]

I would like to see some scientific sources for the claim that lovage (Levisticum officinale) has any harmful effects when used as a spice in small quantities, including the quantity used in this recipe. It is a well-known and readily available herb in Europe, and for example used in premade bearnaise sauces. I doubt that would be legal in the EU, if there were any risk involved. We are generally quite careful and strict about what we allow in food. ;-)

[@shogun5599]

Dear God why are all healthy things disgusting?

[@seoulv8427]

David Jijo I’m sorry it took so long to respond! I’ve been working (healthcare) so responding slips my mind. So sorry! It’s not harmful when consumed for cuisine purposes since it’s been filtered and diluted. In fact it’s being researched for medicinal use as an anti inflammatory. The issues are when it’s consumed by those who have kidney issues, pregnant or breastfeeding. Those who have IBS can also suffer from adverse effects. But for the general population who have none of the above mentioned issues it should be fine to consume in food products.

[@seoulv8427]

lhp I completely agree with you! I hope you and yours are staying as safe and healthy as possible.

[@phoenixyoder5729]

I bought asofoetida at an Asian market, and then had no idea what to do with it. Two weeks later,I got a cold, layed up on the couch desperate to be entertained when lo and behold....a great idea I had all the stuff for already! Stoked! My whole family has asked for this to be regularly featured at the dinner table.

[@colingeer479]

Yay, we need to bring back Roman cookery! Parthian Chicken is now a regular family favourite in our house!

[@evocati6523]

"Open the chicken's rear and put in some lovage" Woah, woah hold up now

[@daddydangerous20]

LMAO.. At least take the chicken out on a date first..

[@jordy8059]

I cooked this recipe last night and it blew my mind! I was so worried about it being awful because of the smell that I had backup pizzas ready to go! Truly an absolutely amazing and easy recipe. I will definitely be making this again!!

[@alanOHALAN]

which ingredients did you get?

[@jordy8059]

@@alanOHALAN I managed to get all of them! I might suggest using white wine instead of red because it stained the skin on my chicken, which made it look a little weird.

[@csongorkakuk5871]

As a Hungarian, the most interesting part of this video for me was when you told about the Parthians shooting backwards on their horses. It has been said back and forth a million times over here that this battle technique was invented by and unique to scavenging Old Hungarians in the Middle Ages. Well at least that's what I've always heard and the vast majority think. It's something that our more "patriotic" fellows are incredibly proud of and many still practice to this day. This is definitely the most shocking yet funniest piece of information of the week for me. lol

[@alanOHALAN]

it was very typical shooting method in the northern Asia grassland by the nomad warriors. they really liked to feign retreat and trap their enemies. even the Chinese used it too.

[@rohan1_]

I’m betting all of sorts of cultures did it, all over the world, because it’s a very basic concept.

[@anomienormie8126]

It’s seen in ancient Korean (Goguryeo) battle tactics as well lol

[@Baktrianos]

@@rohan1_ The thing is that the "Parthian shot" was described by ancient historians as a parthian war tactic. Although we have numerous central asia nomad tribes described as prominent in horse archery, we never had an account of other tribes using this technique BEFORE the Parthians. So while we have numerous account of Scythians, for example, we don't have anyone telling us that they used this tactic. While the technique may have become very popular for horse archers, and central asia nomads in general, we don't have any account of any tribe or culture using this shot before. So yeah, probably Parthians where pioneers in this, and of course, since it was a useful tactic, it became a standard for horse archers.. (So the huns, the mongols, the hungarians, the cumans, the pechenegs and so on probably used it). It the same with many other combat strategies, like using stirrups on horses. Unknown accessory in Europe until the Huns came in. From that day on, a new way of fighting on horseback developed, and a few centuries later we'll have knights all around Europe, Anatolia and middle East. Basic concept, unless you never thought about it. And a game changer concept.

[@Qwufi]

As also a hungarian I never heard of that we were the inventors of this battle tactic. We were successful but other nomadic nations used it as well.

[@pathazanov6341]

This dish is amazing. The tip about putting chicken in fridge overnight is great! Skin unbelievably crispy, and chicken moist. Used celery instead of lovage. Cannot even describe the taste. Salty, savory. Would not know what I was eating if I had not made it myself! We were both surprised by this tasty succulent dish. Thank you so very much for taking the time to research it and publish this video.

[@慢拾光]

A few weeks ago, I tried to make this dish myself. The grilled chicken skin is crispy and tastes good.

[@abyrupus]

"I don't know what I'm tasting" Asafoetida "It's a bit umami" Definitely Asafoetida. It gives a strong dried-onion, mushroom, jerk-y flavor when cooked.

[@ajlikins]

Lovage also has a herby umami flavor so it could be either of those - of both.

[@owenb8636]

Legend has it that Roman metalworkers improved on the piercing capabilities of the gladius by studying the design of this man's eyes

[@invaderghostkungfu]

ur right bro they're downright distracting

[@PutoMedicoBrujo]

...If anyone ever proposes to me I WISH its with a dagger and THIS MASTERPIECE of a compliment

[@princejaxisblack8789]

Ikr? Like I'm not gay, but damn-

[@LoveAuntieJan]

They certainly succeeded beyond all hopes! 💙💙

[@PutoMedicoBrujo]

@@princejaxisblack8789 Well, I am, and DAMN indeed

[@swolejeezy2603]

Hit us up with that video about “siliphium” or however that’s spelled - amazing that people used to cook with things that don’t exist anymore

[@pirateyarn6331]

@TastingHistory - This. Yes, please

[@Neufutur]

@ That's the stuff that Romans made extinct because it was the best birth control ever, right? I believe they said it had a heart-like shape.

[@palmolive2005]

Please do this -- I've seen the story before and knew it back when I was a kid. It's good content!

[@bedstuyrover]

@ There is a branch of science in which ancient seeds are encouraged to germinate; it might be possible to grow the plant if, perhaps, the seeds can be found- in a tomb, for example.

[@diggydude5229]

@@bedstuyrover The last known stalk would be in Nero's tomb. Siliphium was a cheaper substitute for asafoetida, and Roman writers used the same word to describe both.

[@onemercilessming1342]

Asafoetida? In the 1950s, I wore a small handmade sachet bag around my neck. It was called an asafoetida bag, it stank to high heaven, and it was meant to keep a child from acquiring colds or the flu. It worked well, mostly because no sensible person got within sneezing distance of me.

[@DanielleStJohn]

Heck yeah, full episode on silphium! Although, tbh, I'm all for creators doing the things they're into, especially if it's also going to have to go through research and production and video editing and all that stuff that goes into a KZbin video. #liveyourbestlife OOO that Parthian Shot thing was one of the things I found most impressive about the Rohirrim in that fight with the Uruk-Hai in Two Towers! Suuuuch a cool visual. I wonder if the glass jewelry was a predecessor to Murano glass...

[@rz9297]

I made this! It's actually REALLY good. Everyone loved it. It took caraway in a direction I've never experienced before.

[@katybechnikova2821]

English is my second language. When I heard the ingredients I was like "What's this exotic lovage ingredient? What is the reason why American people don't have it?" Then I googled and I realised I have it on my balcony and just earlier today, I added it in my vegetable soup. Slav culture? Maybe. :D

[@joosttijsen3559]

whats it called in ur language?

[@katybechnikova2821]

@@joosttijsen3559 libeček

[@directrulefromgamerchair3947]

Hardbass, lovage and apparently furs. Real slav hours

[@d.b.2215]

I live in Germany and it's easy to find lovage here as well. The Germans call it Liebstöckel. It's seen as a bit of an old people's herb but if you go looking for it there's still plenty of places selling.

[@Smallpotato1965]

@@joosttijsen3559 In Dutch it's called 'maggiplant', because it tastes like the condiment 'maggi', lol.

[@julians7268]

This channel never ceases to amaze me. I've long been without cable because with a few streaming services and KZbin channels like this, I'm never short of awesome, educational and entertaining content.

[@ziziroberts8041]

They call it Hing in India and it upgrades even your basic dal fry.

[@SewardWriter]

You also have to triple bag it to avoid the fragrance filling your entire house.

[@merindymorgenson3184]

Dang it! Why does everyone know about it being called hing. I had a recipe that called for asafoetida and looked high and low for it here. And then, several months after, I found that hing, which is everywhere, is another name for it. Ahhhhh!

[@shyamsundarrajan2469]

Hing is the Indian (hindi) name for it and very common for Indian veg dishes we call it Perungaiyam (tamil) we add it to our yoghurt rice along with ginger mustard seeds green chillies and curry leaves served with spicy pickle its a comfort food specially during the summer

[@insoserious]

@@shyamsundarrajan2469 finally someone tells me what it's called in tamil! "perungaiyum" reminds me of "vengaiyum" (onion) and i am told hing is, among other things, used to mimic the taste of onion and garlic for jain ppl who cannot eat onion and garlic. does this account for the similar names perungaiyum and vengaiyum?

[@insoserious]

@John R um, no? coz jains shun garlic and onion not because it makes their breath smell (or whatever reason you're thinking of). it's because of religious reasons. jains do not eat any part of any plant that grows beneath ground level. therefore no potatoes either.

[@phoenixantis6994]

Me: *eat banquet frozen fried chicken with mac n cheese* Max: aSaFOeTiDA

[@arjunbadi6038]

Lmao same

[@rachellarson8851]

@Kristy Kelly what other kind of noodles are there?

[@savitbharadwaj4023]

It's a very interesting spice for sure. In the part of India I come from, it plays more of a supporting role to the other spices. If one can smell and taste the actual asafoetida itself in the finished dish, then too much has been used.

[@miss42310]

What spice is this (indian name) and which part of india does it come from?

[@savitbharadwaj4023]

@@miss42310 The Indian name for it is hing. Not sure about where it comes from though.

[@Radicalist-Manifesto]

@@miss42310 India imports almost all of its Hing from Afghanistan. Very small quantity is produced in some parts of Kashmir.

[@katherinejohnson2921]

HOW am I just now finding this channel?! As a classicist and someone who LOVES to cook, I'm SO excited!!

[@TastingHistory]

Glad you found me 😁

[@chrisr251]

With the Asafoetida, it isn't the root that you are cooking with, but the gum, made from scoring the root with a sharp object, and letting the sap ooze out and harden. Most of the asafoetida you can purchase online has been ground up and mixed with rice flour or turmeric. Both to try to cut the strong odor that people are not used to, and to make it easier to handle. The gum itself is a hard, sometimes slightly sticky, lump that can be difficult to work with. If you want to try cooking with it, it is often best to fry it in some oil first, or as part of the cooking process. This changes the smell and flavor from overpoweringly foul to something akin to onions or garlic. You can also add it to dishes like this where it will get cooked long enough to break down into the rich, umami flavors. High heat or long cooking make it a great flavor enhancer. It also works for barbecuing meat, when added to the dry rub or basting sauces.

[@StanWatt.]

I buy the dried gum and grind it in a spice grinder. Drop some powder in a little oil to release the aroma. Said to taste a little like truffles.

[@DeRien8]

Also called *hing* and used to replace garlic and onions for people in sects that do not eat those vegetables

[@StanWatt.]

Hot oil, I meant, but you're clever people out there :)

[@TheErnestotorres1977]

interesting

[@its1110]

@@DeRien8 People that don't eat garlic and onion!?!?!?! Are they really cats?

[@LivingSoftly]

Me recommending this channel to my friends: Guys, want to see an immortal chef pretend to be modern?

[@caro1ns]

Gosh that makes complete sense. (And would explain the mesmerizing eyes too 😀)

[@autumnramble]

Well, I recommending it as a"Captain America's grandson has that really awesome cooking channel".

[@calebleland8390]

@@autumnramble If I don't eventually see a Captain America plushie in the background soon, I'll be disappointed.

[@LivingSoftly]

@@autumnramble That makes so much sense 😂

[@sedimaster]

That Pidgeotto in the back is looking at you like "how dare you cook a bird"

[@catherined6973]

I kinda love how the pokemon change with every episode.

[@MMAFLIXCHILL]

What I love about your channel aside from it being a fun binge-worthy adventure is the people following you. This has got to be one of the most sophisticated community on youtube. Great job. Keep up the good work. Also. Can you show us what Ghengis Khan ate?

[@stephenclements6158]

My wife just made this for me, and it is lovely. The longer I let the flavor sit on my tongue the more I get out of it, and it is very pleasant.

[@Iskandar64]

I have all three of those ingredients and would never have thought to put them together. Colatura di Alici - the modern ancestor of garum, quite like Thai fish sauce Asofeteda (hing) - sometimes known as poor mans garlic - I use it in Indian recipes. Lovage - I grow in my garden - it has a very overpowering taste if used in large quantities. It’s quite unlike anything I have ever tasted. Its the fish sauce of the vegetable world. You used a lot of lovage and I reckon it was the alien taste of the lovage that prompted your response on first tasting. Yes there is a strong celery note, but there are other flavours, that I cannot describe, too much and it’s a bit nauseating. I am going to make an attempt at this, but I might reduce some of the quantities. Also very good historical overview. Pliny the Elder, complained about the trade imbalance with the East and that 600 million sestercies per annum, were lost to imports via its Eastern ports.

[@druidriley3163]

Romans loved their luxuries.

[@camilledvorak7151]

Lovage, to me, is like peppery celery.

[@theonemillionthemily]

I had a loooooong day teaching online, and seeing this at the end just made my day that much better ❤

[@marccark2764]

I first watched this video 2 years ago... I think it was actually the first (or second) of yours that I had seen. It's just popped up as a suggestion in my feed again and I had to come back and just say how much I and my family love this recipe... Over the last 2 years it's become a regular on our house menu, and always goes down well be it Sunday dinner or guests coming over... the kids also love it!... Thank you Max... please keep up the good work! :)

[@TheWhiteDragon3]

Fun fact, the Chinese term for Rome, "Da Qing", literally translates to "Other China". Coming from the old Chinese who had a _bit_ of a superiority complex, that was a _very_ high compliment. EDIT: See K J's reply below for more etymological info

[@KJ-lx2uc]

The Chinese term for Ancient Rome was Daqin 大秦, not DaQing. Daqin means Great Qin, referring to the Qin Dynasty. It also referred to the Near East or Syria which was a part of the Roman Empire. I would say a better description of the Ancient Chinese as ethnocentric rather than having a superiority complex.

[@TheWhiteDragon3]

@@KJ-lx2uc Ah, thanks for the info! And concerning the comment on superiority complex, it's all meant in jokes. Quite frankly, I wouldn't blame them for having an actual superiority complex, seeing as they found themselves in a literal climactic paradise and forged the greatest civilization on earth at the time (an for most of time, barring the last 300 ish years).

[@jerolvilladolid]

I think Rome was superior to China because Rome was able to build huge marble and concrete structures, and the colleseum, while China was mostly a wooden society. Also in math, astronomy, science, Rome was better.

[@TheWhiteDragon3]

@@jerolvilladolid I'll give you a pass on this one because the average Westerner is not very well read on the histories of peoples past the Levant. China has historically been the most opulent and advanced civilization for its time, barring the last 300-ish years. The reason most buildings were made of wood is because of the _massive_ population; it would be rather uneconomical to build massive amounts of stone houses. Also, most Romans lived in wooden houses as well. The notable stone buildings that were left behind were the urban areas of Rome and Constantinople and the large manors of the social elite. Everyone else not in major urban centers lived in wooden houses. There's also nothing wrong with wood. The Forbidden Palace, for example, is a wooden structure that took very meticulous planning and _extremely_ precise carpentry to construct, and has been carefully and lovingly maintained for hundreds of years. Concerning math, astronomy, and the sciences, do remember that at this time the beginning of gunpowder weaponry was being developed and used in China. Lastly, in this brief overview of Chinese Civilization, the silk road existed for a reason. *Everyone* wanted in on the objectively superior goods from China: the finest silks (the only silks), the most beautiful porcelain (there's a reason it's just called China), and Jade figures beset with gemstones. * Also, just forgot, at this time, the Chinese had defeated the Xiongnu and had become the largest state in the world, stretching farther North and South and farther East to West than any other on earth. This meant that the only state separating the Han dynasty from Rome was Parthia. Let me stress *only a single state separated China from Rome* *EDIT* : Again, forgot to mention that historically any state that wanted to establish regular trade with China was expected to pay a yearly tribute of ridiculous amounts of gold and silver, or whatever precious resource they could get their hands on, *and they paid it* . This speaks to how much people desired Chinese goods and speaks to their incredible quality of manufacturing.

[@jerolvilladolid]

The White Dragon white dragon, i think chlnese civilization is great, but even you must accept that western civilization was better. More superi0r. Let me give 2 points; 1.) the modern world today, semiconductors, chips, computers, airplanes, cars, television, internet, were ALL direct descendants of western science. Invented all by western minds. Chlna is only rich today because it completely adopted these western technological fruits. While direct descendants of Chlnese technology are? Acupuncture? What else? With all due respect, i cant think of anything else. 2.) It is scientifically proven that the lQ of East a.sians are almost unanimousIy on an 80-85% level. All east a.sians are smart. While western minds range from 70%-95%, meaning in the west, there are more stupld people, but the smartest minds are also western, because the range of lQ is less uniform than in Chlna and east asia. Meaning inventors, scientists, and innovators will always be western in ra.ce because it how their bodies are build. Smarter. Its just science and we cant change that. Western humans are simply superi0r man to man. And yes, I am also a.sian. Living in Asia, close to Chlna. So im not panderic any western superiorlty complex.

[@julievoit370]

I’m putting this in the oven right now. Whatever comes out is on your head, Max Millerrrr.

[@julievoit370]

Well, I made it. My daughter, who lives on the first floor, said she stepped outside for a moment and smelled it and thought to herself “I bet the neighbors will be jealous.” So then, when it came out of the oven my husband said it smelled amazing. Then as he was eating it he said “This is the best meal I’ve had in I don’t know how long! It’s like we’re eating at a fine French restaurant!” He rarely says things like this. So it went over well. But then later on as I was cleaning up the kitchen I tasted it after it had gone cold in the juices and the asafoetida had really come out. It’s STRONG now. My daughter went to sleep early, but I’ll feed it to her tomorrow to see what she thinks. Thanks for this recipe, MM. Historic cookery is fun for me. When my daughter was little I used to cook meat in the fireplace with her. One night I had to leave for a moment to check on something and put her in charge of the chops. When I returned one was missing. She was like 8 years old and had polished off a charred pork chop in less than two minutes. Haha. I have requests! I’d love it if you’d cook some colonial American dishes. I live in Fredericksburg, VA in a 200 year old house, so I like thinking about stuff like that. Also, stargazey pie, moose nose jelly, Victorian invalid food (which was a thing and nobody talks about it), a roast made by hanging it from a string in a fireplace like they did in the 18th century (which I tried and failed at), and historic health foods... which mostly tasted awful, but it would be interesting. :)

[@vianjelos]

So glad you included the update. I hate when people say they made something but never update on how it actually tasted.

[@matthewjohnson4583]

@@julievoit370 appreciate the update!

[@58limited]

@Julie Voit I'm making the Parthian Chicken recipe right now. For 18th century cuisine including the hanging roast check out Townsends youtube channel.

[@punchysonichu5395]

I made this, too. To me, it tasted almost exactly like a certain type of Turkish soup (corbasi) that I've had several times in the past. Unfortunately, I don't know the exact name of the soup, and given that, -A- there are countless varieties of Turkish soup, and -B- most people reading this probably haven't eaten that many Turkish soups, this observation may not be all that helpful. Next best way I'd describe it, is... like a spiced, lightly sweetened chicken that's been marinated in liquid rye bread. (caraway rye bread, specifically)

[@tanyamonier7257]

Well, I made this tonight! Ordered the seasonings online, except for lovage. I substituted celery salt for the lovage. THIS WAS A SALTY MISTAKE. Otherwise, all members of the family, including the tween who suspiciously sniffs every single bite of food, thought this recipe was "weird but cool." My food-adventure-guy/58- year-old husband was like a kid at Christmas: "I have lived nearly 6 decades, yet I have never experienced these flavors before!" Other than the fact that I oversalted the dish, this thing was perfectly delicious. Try it.

[@AJR-zg2py]

Yeah, definitely use celery leaf - not the salt. I love celery salt but I swear my jar will outlive me! A little goes a long way and in a dish like this I can see it being overpowering.

[@demonic_myst4503]

Smart choice tbh i live in uk and its still hars to find lovage you have go to herb sites which cant alleays be trusted

[@jamiegould7951]

I had never heard of Asofoetida until you started using it in historical recipes... it's turned up in the spice aisle of my local supermarket now! (In the UK)

[@grimble4564]

It's probably been there and if you've ever had Indian food in your life, you've definitely eaten it before

[@TheWinnieston]

Dollar store jewelry existed since time out of mind apparently

[@HaydenX]

Whether out of chicanery or wishing to look wealthier than one is, costume jewelry has always been, and will always be a thing...at least until all of the world's gems have been properly synthesized in labs (we're almost there, but precious fossils and certain quirks of particularly odd gemstones like alexandrite, labradorite, tanzanite, and particularly rare and exotic agates are still elusive).

[@AliasUndercover]

@@HaydenX The Romans had a big costume jewelry industry, IIRC. Everybody wanted to be blingy, but not everyone could afford it. Just like us now.

[@HaydenX]

@@AliasUndercover That was my point...whether to look wealthier than you are, or to fool someone into paying gem prices for glass...it's not going anywhere.

[@ashleygorman2852]

I absolutely love your channel, its fabulous, and to top it off you've got wonderful captions! Which just makes me appreciate your videos more than I already do. Thank you!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you! That’s my fiancé taking care of the captions.

[@ashleygorman2852]

@@TastingHistory Then thank Jose for me too! Its appreciated

[@viniciusdarosasilva5340]

I wonder if in dishes like this, having some disgust at first sight is part of the appeal. Here in Brazil we have a dish called Buchada which really resembles haggis but has it's origins in festive medieval Portuguese cuisine. Max, you may want to take a look at it later, it may interest you! Hugs from a big fan

[@Cyle_C]

And monkey soup....

[@T0pMan15]

Asafoetida isn’t something that disgusts you. It tastes great and makes your curry’s banging. But the problem is you will smell bad for the next few days, as it comes out of your pores

[@viniciusdarosasilva5340]

@T0pMan15 about disgust at first sight, I meant when you smell it! I'm sure it's a great spice my friend ^^

[@karlpoppins]

@@T0pMan15 Is this why a lot of Middle Easterners have this distinct body odour? I know it was related to some kind of spice, but I always assumed it was fenugreek. Or maybe its both, I don't really know.

[@SamdGG]

I don't think haggis is disgusting, it's just like black pudding if you've ever had that

[@Allswell510]

Just cooked this for my boyfriend and I. He was extremely apprehensive to eat chicken with „stinky devil‘s powder“, stinky fish sauce and cheap red wine. It was absolutely DELICIOUS! We loved it! Thanks for bringing Apicius to the masses ❤

[@gourmand3]

I never knew about that "Roman silk" bit that the Parthians conjured up lol. Amazing

[@Lilithksheh7723]

Sea silk, made from some cone snails, I’m guessing.

[@lisavranesevic5754]

My son's comment upon smelling Liquamin and Asafoetida, "no wonder the Roman Empire fell!"

[@MythicGirl2210]

This is the funniest thing I've seen in a LONG TIME!!!!! XD

[@lisavranesevic5754]

@@MythicGirl2210 lol... My boy is something else.

[@livinglifeleona]

OMG hahaha!

[@jayteegamble]

How did it taste tho?

[@lisavranesevic5754]

@@jayteegamble great! We've made it now on a few occasions

[@Alexm920]

No idea why, but this was the episode that finally convinced me to join on the Patreon. Perhaps it was the promise of an episode on Silphium, or maybe the genuinely baffled reaction to asafoetida, or maybe the fact that Max too once suffered summers in Arizona.

[@jm9371]

I love the random stuffed animal in the bottom left with each episode.. Just noticed that after like 15 episodes... Love this channel.

[@Beetlesiri]

I find that herbs and spices along with their composition are about 75% of cooking. So of course I would like to learn more about silphium!

[@ix8750]

I'm really glad you're interested enough in this awesome history to help pull us in with you. It's been a nice, chill and informative ride so far. Do you know if there any cool old monastic recipes from any European monks that look somewhat interesting? I've always been curious how much truth there is to the idea of monks crafting their own wines, ales, cordials, breads, cheeses etc.

[@TastingHistory]

I actually just received a book of recipes from a medieval monastery. I’ll make sure to get to something in there soon.

[@ix8750]

@@TastingHistory Awesome! I'll see you next time on Tasting History!

[@stargirl7646]

TastingHistory omg yesssssss

[@dunbags95]

You're so lovely and respectful while describing the flavours of food. Even though it's a completely different, foreign taste, you say only positive things about it!!

[@the10thplague]

As a kid we used the call lovage "the Maggi plant" over here in the Netherlands, as its flavor is quite similar to that condiment (for Americans: it's a dark salty sauce, a bit like soy sauce but without soy).