Black Salt

[Kala Namak, Bire noon, Pada loon, Bit lobon, Sanchal (India)]

This salt used as a finishing salt both in North America and India, but in India is also important in recipes, particularly for Chaat Masala, a very important seasoning for street vendors. It is also included in some chutneys, sprinkled on fruit, and used to flavor lemonade and similar drinks. It is used by vegans to replace the sulfurous character of eggs.

Natural salts containing sulphates are mined in volcanic regions, and are then heated in a kiln for 24 hours, sealed in a ceramic jar with charcoal and possibly some other organic materials. This converts the almost colorless natural salts to Black Salt and develops the strong smell and taste of sulphur by converting the natural sulphates to sodium sulphide, iron sulphide, and hydrogen sulphide. Ground, Black Salt is usually a grayish pink color.

Today it is also manufactured from regular salt, combined with sodium sulfate, sodium bisulfate and ferric sulfate. This is heated in a kiln with charcoal the same as with the mined salts to convert those to sulfides.

Buying:

This product can be found in markets serving a primarily Indian community, or can be purchased on-line. I suggest buying it in chunks, as it is rumored "alternative" methods are sometimes used to make powdered products. Do not confuse this product with Hawaiian Black Salt or Cyprus Black Salt, those are just sea salt mixed with charcoal.

Health & Nutrition:

Some sulphur is necessary in a healthy diet, as it is needed for synthesis of some proteins. Current evidence is that natural foods containing sulphur provide a sufficient amount, but some diets may be deficient. The wonderful flavor of fried Onions (and the tears) are largely from high sulphur content. Those forbidden onions by religion often fill the sulphur gap with the resin asafoetida, also high in sulphur.

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