Instructions: Walk throught the streets of any indian city and you will be treated to an endless vision of colour and bustle and to the mouthwatering fragrance of a special cuisine. This is the street food of India or chaat which consists of a multitude of snacks fried soaked in yoghurt stuffed or tossed in spices and smothered in various hot sweet and tangy chutneys. These instant snacks are eaten at any time of day or night. The one flavour that all these snacks rely on for their zip is kala namak or rock salt. This salt is procured from the earth end not the sea. It is also called black salt or saindhav.

Manufacture

Rock salt is mined from the softstone quarries of the fertile Gangetic plains in central India.

Irregular but beautiful in appearance crystals of rock salt range from translucent amber and deep brown to graybrown. They have smooth glossy surfaces where cleaved. Powdered rock salt is fine and brown or smokegray. Rock salt has a peculiar unpleasant aroma akin to pickled eggs and a salty taste that is less power ful than common salt. The strange flavour seems to acquire a personality when added to cold foods like yoghurt and salads. Well worth a try. Crystals of rock salt as well as the powder can be found in indian shops. Powdered rock salt is ready for use but is not as flavourful as the crystals. However it is sometimes a bit gravelly because of the earth that gets crushed with it. Rock salt lasts for ever if stored in dry containers. The crystals are dissolved in liquid or crushed before use.

Medicinal uses
As it does not increase the sodium content of blood unlike ordinary salt it is recommended for patients with high blood pressure or those on a lowsalt diet. It is also a sure cure for flatulence and heartburn.

Culinary uses
It is an essential ingredient in many snacks salads and drinks. In fact in north India where the indian summer is at its hottest fresh lemonade spiked with rock salt is served everywhere even at airports. It is considered a very good antidote to dehydration in conditions of extreme dry heat.

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