Kala Namak or Black Salt is a kiln-fired, Himalayan salt that originated in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepalese, and other South Asian cuisines. It is the key ingredient in spice mixtures like Chaat Masala - a pungent, deeply flavoured, tangy, sour, and salty blend - that tops many popular Indian chaat snack foods, such as bhel puri, papdi chaat, or dahi puri, amongst many others.
Kala Namak or Black Salt has become a popular ingredient in contemporary plant-based dishes due to its sulphur content, which gives it a characteristic sulphurous, egg-like smell as well as taste, making it especially useful in dishes that take the place of their eggy counterparts. It’s worth seeking out, and a little goes a long way, so once you buy a small pack of it you won’t need to stock up again anytime soon!
Where to find Black Salt / Kala Namak
I am lucky enough to live in the Little India neighbourhood in the east end of Toronto, so finding Kala Namak or Black Salt is as simple as popping into one of my neighbourhood shops. Look for Kala Namak or Black Salt at any Indian or South Asian grocer, online specialty vendors, specialty spice shops, or at some health food stores.
How to use Black Salt / Kala Namak
When used in small amounts, Kala Namak or Black Salt adds a subtle but important egg-like flavour in dishes that take the place of eggs; try my Simple Scrambled Tofu or Veggie Tofu Scrambler. Many Indian spice blends also call for this ingredient as in important component in their complex range of flavours.
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