Topic started by Francine (@ h-68-167-61-221.nycmny83.dynamic.covad.net) on Mon Oct 27 01:07:51 EST 2003.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Hi folks,

When I was in India I was told by some friends to buy "black salt" when I was packing food for a picnic. It is two years later, and I still have some left. I've also seen it sold in Indian stores in New York City.

What is black salt, and where does it come from? It is actually sort of a pale orangey-tan, and tastes as if it has some mineral like sulfur in it.

Responses:

• From: Hemant Trivedi (@ 203.195.208.26) on: Mon Oct 27 01:27:17 EST 2003
  
  Hello Francine,
  Black salt is salt mined on land. This salt is believed to be formed by dried ancient seas . You are right . It has a lot of sulphur content and is very effective against gas formation and stomach upsets due to gas formation. It contains sodium sulphate and sodium chloride.It has other calcium and Megnisium contents.
  Along with Mint leaves , Tamarind and Other spicy herbs like Cilantro, it gives a fine exotic taste to food.
  
  
• From: Francine (@ h-67-101-129-74.nycmny83.dynamic.covad.net) on: Mon Oct 27 17:30:52 EST 2003
  
  Thanks Hemant, I knew I could count on you for this kind of info. Maybe you could put "black salt" on your website at some point, too.
  
  It sounds like a very healthy natural substance. I'm glad that I've got some in the house.
  
  Cheers,
  Fran
  
  
• From: Dale Mathews (@ ) on: Sat Oct 2 14:27:14
  
  I've heard that black salt is a good "sodium salt" substitute for people with high blood pressure. Do you have any knowledge to this effect? Where might I inquire about this?
  
  
• From: wazza (@ host213-122-5-77.in-addr.btopenworld.com) on: Tue Oct 5 11:23:20 EDT 2004
  
  Black salt (kala namak) is a salt found around volcanoes, or old volcanic action, hence its smell of rotten eggs. It is black (or dark grey) when found in large crystals, bu changes to pink/orange when ground. It is used as an ingrdient in chaat masala, an increases the meatiness of dishs such as tandoori chicken, or as chaat masala added to fresh fruit. Treat it as ordinary salt, it has no magic properties, despite its colour, and do not think of it as low sodium salt, even though it must contain other minerals.
  cheers
  Wazza
  
  

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