What Is Black Salt (Kala Namak)? How To Use It

Have you ever tried a dish with a vegan egg and wondered how it tastes so close to the real thing? That’s the magical work of kala namak, also known as black salt, Himalayan black salt or Indian black salt.

It’s an essential pantry item for any keen cook that likes to experiment with plant-based dishes now and then. With the help of kala namak, you can create endless egg-free dishes, from vegan fried ‘eggs’ to a chickpea flour omelette. 

Black salt is a volcanic rock salt that is commonly used in South Asian cuisine. It’s created by being heated for several hours along with other spices, seeds, and herbs. It’s traditionally used in many Indian street food dishes and is a wonderful flavour enhancer. Despite its name, black salt is not always black; it can vary from pinkish to dark purple. 

Black salt isn’t at all similar to the salt we use in our everyday cooking; it’s made differently and also tastes different. The best way to describe the aroma is that it’s distinctly sulphuric, similar to hard-boiled eggs. Its smell is most apparent when mixed into liquid or heated during cooking. But don’t worry, the smell will have disappeared once you’ve served up your food. 

In South Asia, it’s used as a taste enhancer, so if you need a boost of umami, black salt is a great choice as it can step up the flavour. As it’s already rich and savoury, you do not need to use as much black salt as you would regular salt. As it packs such a punch, it’s an important ingredient in dishes like Ayurvedic Sauerkraut, Black Chana Vedic Curry and Chaat Masala. 

Black salt has recently taken the vegan world by storm due to its ability to make dishes taste more egg-like. So if you’re ever making a dish that incorporates black salt, it’s super important that you use it. Of course, tofu scramble without black salt is still tasty in its own right, but if you’re aiming for it to taste realistic, you must include black salt. Trust me, your vegan omelettes and scrambles are going to be levelled up massively with the addition of this secret ingredient!

When creating your own recipes, be cautious of oversalting the dish when using black salt. Take note of how much black salt you use to ensure you don’t add too much regular salt. 

You may be able to find it in the world food aisle in your supermarkets or specialty food shops and health stores. It’s also easy to find online. 

There are several types of black salt, so make sure to look out for black Himalayan salt. Black ritual salt and black lava salt will have extremely different outcomes (black ritual salt is inedible)!