Black salt, also known as kala namak or sanchal, is a type of rock salt that is commonly used in South Asian cuisine, particularly in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Despite its name, black salt is not actually black in colour but has a pinkish-grey or purple hue.
This salt gets its distinct flavour from its sulphur content, which gives it a slightly pungent and savoury aroma. The unique taste is often described as sulphurous, similar to hard-boiled eggs. This makes black salt a popular ingredient in vegan and vegetarian cooking, where it can be used to add an “eggy” flavour to dishes.
Black salt has antioxidant properties and has surprisingly low sodium levels. It also contains important minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium, which are essential to healthy bodies. Black salt stimulates bile production in the liver, and also helps to control heartburn and bloating.
Black salt is typically used in small amounts as a finishing or flavouring salt rather than as a primary seasoning.
It is a key ingredient in various street foods and snacks like chaats, bhel puri, and pani puri. It adds a tangy and distinctive flavour to these dishes. It can also be sprinkled on raitas (yogurt-based side dishes) and lassis (yogurt-based drinks) to enhance their taste.
In some countries black salt is sprinkled on fresh fruits or added to fruit juices to give them a unique twist.
If you are vegan black salt is a very handy ingredient as it mimics the taste of eggs – add it to tofu scrambles, vegan omelettes, savoury pancakes and fritters.
Black salt can also be used when pickling and preserving fruits and vegetables to enhance their flavour and extend their shelf life.
It’s worth noting that black salt should be used sparingly due to its potent flavour.
This information is from The Vegan Store …
The sulphur content gives the salt its unique pungent smell and tangy taste. Indian black salt can vary in colour – some may not be even black at all. Any shade of brownish pink to dark violet can be found and it is available in whole chunks or in powdered form.
Black salt actually has less sodium than normal table salt. While sodium is a necessary part of a healthy diet and have an essential role in our bodies, most Westerners receive too much sodium in their diet through processed foods, leading to high blood pressure and other problems. Black salt could play a small part in addressing this problem. Black salt is not ionised like normal table salt, so if you exclusively consume this salt, you will need iodine from seafood or other sources to avoid goitres and other health issue related to iodine deficiencies.
However, you can use black salt to skip out on other additives that are normally added to table salt (to prevent caking, for example) that could actually be damaging to your health. Black salt has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, and has been connected to easier digestion, heart health, and fewer complications from diabetes.
You can purchase it online at the Vegan Store here. Or have a look at your local natural and organic store.
I also recommend reading this article … Everything you need to know about black salt.
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