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Salt (namak) and black salt (kala namak)
Appears in
Published 2008
I add salt during various cooking stages, using one kind of salt while simmering the curry and swirling in a second variety just before serving it (see Sweet Potato and Plantain in a Sauce of Fresh and Roasted Coconut).
The three main types of “white” salt used in curries are rock salt, sea salt, and table salt. Rock salt is a mined product, processed and purified for human consumption, and sold in, you guessed it, rock form. The extent of purification depends on its end use: The coarser (and cruder) it is, the more industrial its use. You can pulverize rock salt into a gritty powder and sprinkle it into and over many curries. Adding it just before serving highlights its earthy quality.