Salt is an essential ingredient in every kitchen, but there are many different types, each with its own unique flavor and use.
From the common table salt to the exotic Himalayan pink salt, each variety can bring something special to your dishes.
In this blog post, we’ll explore various salts used in cooking, including sea salt, kosher salt, Celtic sea salt, and black salt.
Understanding these differences will help you choose the right salt to enhance your cooking. Let’s dive in and discover the diverse world of salts!
What Is Processed Salt?
You probably heard that people do not favour “processed” salt.
“Processed” salt refers to salt that has undergone significant refinement and purification steps to remove impurities and trace minerals. This typically involves the following steps:
- Purification: The raw salt is dissolved in water to create a brine, which is then purified to remove insoluble impurities.
- Evaporation: The purified brine is evaporated, usually through heating or vacuum evaporation, to crystallize the salt.
- Additives: Often, anti-caking agents are added to prevent the salt from clumping. Iodine may also be added to prevent iodine deficiency in populations.
Processed salt is usually what we refer to as “table salt.” It has a uniform, fine grain and a very clean, consistent taste due to the removal of other minerals and impurities.
That is why people consider other types of salts “healthy” – because of retention of minerals and textures.
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Sea Salt
Sea salt is a type of salt produced by evaporating seawater. It is often less processed than table salt, which means it retains trace minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium, giving it a more complex flavor.
Sea salt can come in various textures, from fine to coarse crystals, and it is commonly used in cooking, baking, and as a finishing salt to enhance the taste of dishes. Its natural harvesting process and mineral content differentiate it from regular table salt, which is usually mined from underground salt deposits and heavily refined.
Kosher Salt
Kosher salt, a coarse-grained salt, gets its name from its role in the koshering process of meat, where it helps draw out blood.
It has a flaky, crystalline structure that makes it easy to pinch and sprinkle.
Kosher salt is less dense and less salty by volume than table salt, giving you more control when seasoning food.
Unlike regular table salt, kosher salt usually doesn’t contain additives like iodine, which gives it a pure, clean taste. It is widely used in cooking and baking.
French Salt
“French salt” usually refers to high-quality sea salts from France, like Fleur de Sel or Sel Gris, which are famous for their unique textures and flavors.
Harvesters use traditional methods to collect these salts, prized for their purity and rich mineral content. When a recipe calls for “French salt,” it suggests using a premium, artisanal salt to enhance the dish’s flavor.
Rock Salt
Rock salt, or halite, is a natural mineral made of sodium chloride (NaCl). Miners extract it from underground deposits formed by ancient, evaporated sea beds. It has large, coarse crystals that are usually white or colorless, but can sometimes be pink, blue, or yellow due to impurities.
People use rock salt for de-icing roads, in water softeners, and in some cooking, especially in salt grinders and brining.
Unlike table salt, rock salt is less refined and keeps more of its natural minerals.
Himalayan Sea Salt (Pink Salt)
Himalayan sea salt, also known as Himalayan pink salt, is a type of salt mined from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan, near the Himalayas.
It has a distinctive pink color due to trace minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Miners extract this salt by hand, and it is minimally processed to preserve its natural minerals.
People use Himalayan sea salt in cooking and as a finishing salt, and it is also popular in salt lamps and bath products for its potential health benefits and “zen” like appearance.
Celtic Sea Salt
Celtic sea salt is a type of salt harvested from the coastal regions of France, particularly Brittany.
It has a light gray color and a slightly moist texture because it retains some of the seawater’s minerals.
Harvesters use traditional methods, like hand-raking, to collect the salt from shallow pools where seawater evaporates naturally.
Celtic sea salt is known for its rich mineral content, including magnesium, calcium, and potassium, which give it a unique flavor.
People use it in cooking and as a finishing salt to enhance the taste of dishes, as well as in therapeutic baths for its mineral benefits.
Black Salt (Kala Namak)
Black salt, or Kala Namak, is a type of rock salt commonly used in South Asia.
It is dark reddish-black when whole and turns pinkish-gray when ground.
Miners extract it from volcanic regions, and it gets its distinctive sulfurous smell and taste from natural sulfur compounds.
People use black salt in cooking, especially in Indian dishes like chaats, chutneys, and raitas. It is also popular in vegan recipes for adding an egg-like flavor.
Besides culinary uses, it is sometimes used in traditional medicine for its supposed digestive benefits.
Lava Salt
Lava salt, or black lava salt, is a unique sea salt mixed with activated charcoal.
Harvested from volcanic areas, especially around Hawaii, it has a bold black color and a mild earthy flavor.
The activated charcoal adds potential detoxifying benefits.
People use lava salt as a finishing salt to enhance the look and taste of dishes.
It’s popular in gourmet cooking and is perfect for sprinkling over salads, grilled meats, and roasted vegetables for a dramatic and delicious touch.
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Now that you know about most available cooking salts, you can experiment and pick your favorite.
Happy cooking!!!!