Black salt

Black Salt or Kala Namak is a type of rock salt, a salty and pungent-smelling condiment used in South Asia. It is also known as Himalayan black salt, Sulemani namak, bit lobon, kala noon, or bire noon.

Origin and Production

Black salt is mined from the regions surrounding the Himalayas, and other locations in Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The raw material for producing kala namak was originally obtained from natural halite from mines in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and other countries in the Himalayas. It is now primarily manufactured from solution-mined halite, also known as 'rock salt' or 'industrial salt'.

Composition

Black salt consists primarily of sodium chloride, with several other components lending the salt its colour and smell. The smell is mainly due to its sulfur content. Due to the presence of Greigite in the mineral, it forms brownish pink to dark violet translucent crystals when whole and when ground into a powder, it is light purple to pink in color.

Uses

Black salt is used extensively in South Asian cuisines as a condiment or added to chaats, chutneys, salads, all kinds of fruits, raitas and many other savory Indian snacks. Chaat masala, an Indian spice blend, is dependent upon black salt for its characteristic sulfurous hard-boiled-egg aroma. It is also believed to aid in digestion and has a laxative effect.

Health Benefits

Black salt is considered a cooling spice in ayurveda and is used as a laxative and digestive aid. It is also believed to relieve intestinal gas and heartburn. It is used in Ayurveda for these qualities, and also for its supposed anti-hypertensive properties.

See Also

• Rock salt
• Himalayas
• Ayurveda
• South Asian cuisines