SALT IS A PRIME INGREDIENT IN SHAPING LIVES. Without salt there is no flavor. It is the mother of all ingredients: that’s the first lesson Patti, my grandmother Meenakshi, taught me. She only had to smell a curry to tell if it was seasoned properly and, thankfully, that skill passed on to me. Understanding its importance is the key to good food. My hand still shakes when I add salt. It’s the one and only sensitive ingredient that makes or breaks a meal. My grandma was the salt of my childhood. She was a walking, talking recipe book with strict commands to be followed. She has always been the inspiration for my cooking, and she fed my hunger for knowledge well.
To get the best result, add salt during cooking, rather than sprinkling it on food at a later stage, but always be careful because if you add too much, the excess cannot be removed.
Natural salt is considered the prime spice in Ayurvedic cooking, as it stimulates digestion and of course is an essential part of life. There’s a special volcanic salt from India called kala namak, or sanchal, that is believed to have medicinal qualities. It is also known as black salt, but when ground it’s more pinky-gray in color. Kala namak has a slight bitterness and, most distinctively, a pungent sulfurous (rotten egg) smell, and it is an essential part of chaat masala (a spice mix used in chaat).
Always use good-quality salt flakes for cooking, even though they are a little more expensive, instead of table salt, which has a number of additives, including anti-caking agents. Maldon sea salt from England and Australian Murray River pink salt are two of my favorites for cooking.
When you’re choosing what salt to use, put a little on the tip of your tongue and taste its strength. This sounds contradictory, but you don’t want it to be too salty. A good salt has quite complex flavors and even a slight sweetness.
Sea salt acts as a balance between sweetness and acidity. It reduces sourness and increases sweetness, which is why it’s also important in desserts.
A curry without salt is considered inauspicious in Hindu culture. Its importance is such that after someone dies, a feast is prepared after ten days without using salt to cook, so that the soul leaves its earthly desires and finds peace.
All these things I learned at the elbow of my grandma. I hope to keep her memory alive and pass on her wisdom in the following recipes, which are an extension of our family meals.
