How to use ‘kala namak’ to pack a punch
Kala namak is salt ‘pro max’, and here's how you can use it to liven up everyday recipes
Asafoetida and kala namak were two things that would make me pinch my nose as a kid. Not surprising, given that both have a strong and strange smell and taste for anyone who’s olfactory and gustatory receptors are just developing. The common factor here responsible for the striking odour is sulphur-containing compounds.
While salt adds much needed saltiness to food, kala namak adds saltiness plus a punch of unmistakable flavour. It isn’t wrong to call kala namak as “salt pro max". Indian cuisine (mostly north Indian) has a place for kala namak in specific dishes like raita, chaat and seasoning salad vegetables. It is also a defining ingredient in chaat masala, a sprinkle of which can elevate any dish (or fruit) with its complex blend of spices.
Kala namak, or black salt, sits unassumingly in my kitchen cabinet, tucked away in a shaker bottle from a popular brand—its humble appearance betraying the laborious process behind its creation, which requires temperatures exceeding 800 degrees Celsius, comparable to that in a steel smelter.
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Given the varieties of salt that are sold, you may wonder what the difference is between rock salt, pink salt and kala namak. Rock salt is naturally occurring salt crystal from salt pans. Pink salt is mostly from the Himalaya, the colour coming from trace minerals like iron, magnesium and calcium. Kala namak is made from further processing of pink salt by heating it at high temperatures with charcoal and herbs, after which it is cooled and ground. The finished salt is rich in iron sulphide, giving it the darker colour and characteristic odour.
I was struck by how a simple home-made spice mix with the right combination of ingredients can transform a dish when visiting my friend Kishi Arora in Delhi. She is a pastry chef from the Culinary Institute of America. Her mother, Bala aunty (MamaKtreats on Instagram), cooks the most delicious food. As a part of the large spread, she served dahi bhallas, but more than the cloud-like bhallas, I was obsessed with the spice mix she had kept on the table as garnish. There was an addictive quality to this spice mix and of course I had to ask for the recipe. It was just four ingredients: kala namak, home-made chilli flakes, hing powder and powdered bhuna zeera where the cumin seeds had been roasted with patience until dark brown, exponentially multiplying their flavour. Prepare a small bottle of this and use it on raita, chaat, eggs, dry subzis, popcorn, in salad dressings or on the rim of your cocktail or kombucha glasses if you are adventurous.
What was an Indian secret spice (black salt) is now catching on in other parts of the world where vegan and vegetarian food culture is growing. Because of its sulphurous compounds’ unique ability to replicate the flavour of eggs and rich umami flavour, kala namak has become a favourite among vegans who use it in plant-based dishes like tofu scrambles, vegan omelettes and salads.
When using kala namak, focus on its unique flavour rather than relying on it for all the saltiness in your dish. For the best balance, combine regular salt with kala namak. This way, you enhance the flavour without overpowering the dish with its sulphurous notes.
KALA NAMAK-FLAVOURED SWEET POTATOES
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
Half tsp kala namak
Half tsp salt
Quarter tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp sunflower oil
3-4 tbsp salsa
*3-4 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp finely chopped parsley
Pinch of kala namak
Method
Scrub and wash the sweet potatoes well. Boil or pressure cook the sweet potatoes until they are soft but retaining their shape. Cut lengthwise into halves.
Preheat the oven at 190 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with parchment. Toss the sweet potato halves in kala namak, salt, chilli powder and oil. Bake at 190 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden spots appear on the surface.
Top each half with salsa, sour cream, chopped parsley and a sprinkle of kala namak. Serve immediately.
Note: To make these into bite-sized appetisers, cut the sweet potatoes into 1cm thick slices, coat with kala namak, oil and spices and bake it on a tray for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees. Top with salsa, sour cream and garnishes.
*To make a quick salsa, blend 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 small onion, 2 cloves garlic to get a coarse puree. Mix in salt, chilli flakes, lemon juice and a dash of olive oil.
VEGAN EGG SALAD SANDWICH
Serves 2
Ingredients
200g firm tofu
2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
Pinch of turmeric
Half tsp salt
Quarter tsp kala namak
1 tsp mixed dried herbs
Half tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bread of choice
4 lettuce leaves
8 slices of tomato or cucumber
Method
Using a clean kitchen towel, blot out all the excess moisture from the tofu. You can either finely chop the tofu or coarsely grate it. Add it to a bowl. Combine with the mayo, turmeric, salt, kala namak, dried herbs, black pepper and toss gently to coat the tofu well with flavours.
To make the sandwiches, layer two leaves of lettuce and four slices of either cucumber or tomato on one slice. Top generously with the tofu mixture and cover with the other slice of bread.
Serve immediately. Any leftover filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container and used within 1-2 days.
Note: You can also make egg salad lettuce wraps by topping 2-3 leaves of iceberg lettuce with a generous serving of the tofu mixture. Top with hot sauce or any other condiments and serve.
Double Tested is a fortnightly column on vegetarian cooking, highlighting a single ingredient prepared two ways. Nandita Iyer’s latest book is The Great Indian Thali—Seasonal Vegetarian Wholesomeness (Roli Books). She posts @saffrontrail on Twitter and Instagram.
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