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Black salt (kala namak)

Spices & seasonings · Salts

Black salt (kala namak)

Pinkish-grey Indian rock salt with a sulphurous, egg-like smell, essential in chaat masala, jaljeera and fruit chaats.

Also called: kala namak, kala noon, himalayan black salt, sanchal, sanchal namak

Around the world: kala namak, काला नमक (hi)

A kind of salt

22 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: Sushant savla, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Kala namak is mined rock salt traditionally heated with plant material, which produces sulphur compounds that give it its distinctive smell. Despite the name, the lumps are dark brownish-black, but the ground powder is pinkish-grey. It is not the same as Himalayan pink salt (no eggy smell) or the black lava salts sold for finishing.

How it’s used

  • Mixed into chaat masala and sprinkled on fruit and chaat
  • Seasoning jaljeera, lemonade and buttermilk
  • Raitas and chutneys
  • Vegan dishes that imitate the taste of egg

Characteristics

Taste
Salty, slightly less sharp than table salt, with a savoury, tangy edge.
Aroma
Strongly sulphurous, like hard-boiled egg; fades in cooking.
Appearance
Dark crystalline lumps; ground into a fine pinkish-grey powder.
When cooked
Best added at the end or used raw: heat drives off much of its aroma.
Sold as
powder, whole
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning, Usually eaten raw

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep in an airtight jar away from moisture so it does not clump and so its smell does not spread to other foods.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
0 kcal
Protein
0 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
0 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Salt, table (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Salt — Gives saltiness but none of the eggy tang; a little chaat masala helps.

Related ingredients

Recipes with black salt (kala namak)

See all 22

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