7 Creative

Pink Salt

Uses Beyond Cooking For Your Kitchen

Pink salt is no longer confined to the speciality section; it can now be found in ordinary Indian households, for all the right reasons. When compared to the different types of salts, Aashirvaard Pink Salt has a unique appeal because it is devoid of impurities. This particular salt hails from the Himalayan region and is natural, with no colourants or pollutants in it; it even has mineral deposits like calcium and magnesium in small amounts. The pink colour is due to iron oxide. There are many uses of pink salt which you can try at home.

The pink salt enhances the flavour of the raw, fresh ingredients without being too much. If you sprinkle a little bit of the pink salt on some cucumber slices, tomatoes, or seasonal salads, the mild taste will enhance the flavour of the fruits. Pink salt can also work wonders when used on some fruit like guavas, watermelons, or even raw mango, which makes an excellent chaat. Its crystals are usually bigger than those of refined table salt, which means that they slowly dissolve to season the food.

Used as a finishing technique, pink salt can be used at the end of the cooking process. The flaky and coarse crystals will enhance your roasted veggies, fried eggs, avocado toast, and grilled paneer with their crunch and flavour. Pink salt is also preferred by pastry chefs while making their salted caramels, dark chocolate, and cookies because they need a salty touch for the sweet dishes. As the salt is added at the end of the cooking process, the crystals retain their shape. You may start with a little pinch and then build up.

Pink salt is ideal for pickling and brining. It is preferable to use non-iodised salt in the process of pickling, since additives in it may affect the clarity of brine or the colouration of vegetables, and crystals of unprocessed salt dissolve easily in water. You can use it to prepare pickled lemons, carrots, and mangos, or for brining cucumbers and cabbage before fermentation. Measure the amount of salt by weight rather than volume, since crystals of different granularity give varying density of solution.

Enhance your drinks with the taste of salt by creating a pink salt rim on them. Apply a thin layer of lime juice on the rim of your glass and coat it with fine pink salt to enjoy a margarita, a spicy shikanji, or even watermelon juice. Just a bit can transform your nimbu pani or jaljeera into something special that is balanced both in sourness and sweetness. First, grind the coarse salt in the mortar so that it adheres better. Remember, though, not to use too much, as these things increase sodium intake fast.

The pink salt can be used as a natural base for homemade seasoning mixes. You can prepare it using pink salt, cumin that was toasted, black pepper, mango powder, and chilli. This will produce a good chaat masala in a short while. Pink salt may be mixed with garlic powder, paprika, and other dried herbs. The advantage of mixing your own seasoning mix is that you are able to choose the ingredients and heat level. It should be stored in a sealed glass container.

Pink salt is also available in the form of salt blocks, which serve as both cooking utensils and seasoning agents. Start heating a salt slab gradually with the help of a gas stove or an oven for about half an hour to ensure that you do not crack the slab. After that, sear thin pieces of fish, shrimp, paneer, and vegetables on the heated block. Once you are done with the cooking, allow the block to cool down completely and clean it with a moist cloth.

There is nothing like pink salt plates and bowls to create some drama at your table settings. Refrigerate the salt plate, then place your sushi, fruit, or cheese to enjoy the taste of the pink salt in every piece you consume. Pink salt bowls will be perfect for dips and spices. It is fine to use pink salt in coarse pieces by sprinkling them on your platters to roast vegetables or canapés on top of the rustic bed of salt.