What is Black Salt?

(THIS IS A TEST: only one is a Rock Salt - the rest are real rocks from my backyard. Can you spot the Rock Salt?)

Anitra wants to know what is black salt (see comments 3/19/07). Called "Kala Namak" in India Black Salt looks like a natural rock and smells (please excuse me, but there is no other way I can describe this) like a fart. You pound it up and use only a pinch. Now you may ask why would someone want to use such a disgusting thing to flavor food? Black Salt (like "Hing" which is another wierd Indian salt - the English translation for which is Asafoedita) It is one of those innocuous spices that seems to give Indian food its indescrible authentic flavor that is hard to replicate otherwise. Like Anchovies in Caesar Dressing or Fish Sauce in Thai and Vietnamese food these spices have a way of blending in surreptitiously and it would take almost a Culinary Sherlock Holmes to ferret it out from a recipe. I have pictures of black salt which I will put on the blog - still trying to figure out the Mac compatibility thing for photos. Soon Soon Soon....