Namak Siah | (100gm) | نمک سیاہ

Description

Namak Siah or kala namak black salt at sknatural is a kiln-fired rock salt with a sulphurous, pungent smell. People in the Indian subcontinent use it. The condiment primarily consists of sodium chloride, with various other components contributing to its color and smell. Its odor primarily comes from its sulfur content. Due to the presence of greigite (Fe3S4, Iron(II,III) sulfide) in the mineral, it forms brownish-pink to dark violet translucent crystals in its whole form. However, when ground into a powder, its color varies from purple to pink.

Kala namak primarily consists of sodium chloride along with trace impurities such as sodium sulfate, sodium bisulfate, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfide, iron sulfide, and hydrogen sulfide.

The salty taste of kala namak is attributed to sodium chloride, while its dark violet hue comes from iron sulfide. Additionally, the sulfur compounds collectively contribute to kala namak’s slightly savory taste and distinctive smell. With hydrogen sulfide being the most prominent contributor to the odor. The acidic bisulfates/bisulfites add a mildly sour taste to the condiment.

Despite hydrogen sulfide being toxic in high concentrations, the amount present in kala namak used in food is minimal. Hence, it has negligible effects on health.

Uses:

Namak Siah finds extensive usage in South Asian cuisines of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. There it serves as a condiment or people add it to various dishes like chaats, chutneys, salads, fruits, raitas, and savory snacks. The sulfurous egg-like aroma characteristic of chaat masala, a South Asian spice blend, relies on black salt. Often eliciting descriptions resembling flatulence from those unaccustomed to it. In North India and Pakistan, people occasionally sprinkle black salt sparingly as a topping for fruits or snacks.

Additionally, people sprinkle kala namak sometimes on tofu in vegan egg recipes.

In traditional medicine, physicians deem kala namak a cooling spice and utilize it as a laxative and digestive aid. They also observed it to alleviate flatulence and heartburn. In Jammu, people utilize it to treat goitres; however, the efficacy of such usage remains uncertain. Similarly, its purported use in treating hysteria and in toothpaste formulation alongside other mineral and plant ingredients lacks substantial evidence.

Notably, goitre caused by dietary iodine deficiency cannot be remedied solely by kala namak. unless iodide is naturally present in the salt.