The food without salt is tasteless. Common salt called sodium chloride is extracted directly from the sea. But bamboo salt is made by processing ordinary salt at 9 times higher temperature for more than 30 days. That's why 8 ounces of salt can cost up to $100. This makes bamboo salt the most expensive salt in the world. For centuries, Koreans have used bamboo salt in cooking and as a traditional medicine.
How to prepare:
Ordinary salt is placed inside the bamboo wood and burnt inside the fire oven at maximum temperature. The salt, which is heated in bamboo for about 9 times, is also known as purple bamboo salt. It is 10 times more expensive than light red Himalayan salt. The main reason for this is the amount spent on labor for bamboo salt processing. Salt is made by human hands at every step. It takes one month to 45 days to 50 days to make it from sealing the salt in bamboo. It is made by melting 9 times until the final state is reached.
3-year-old mature bamboo is cut evenly such a way that one side is closed and the other side is open. They take sea salt and press it tightly with their hands so that there is no gap in it. They put it in a row and put it in the wood fired oven and light it. It takes 12 to 14 hours. Bamboo is heated at 800 degrees Celsius. When it is half burnt, grind the bamboo with salt and put it back in the bamboo and do the same 8 times.
During the 9th cycle, the maximum temperature is maintained. That means heating above 1,000 degrees Celsius. Only highly experienced people will work on it. Because even a small mistake can waste a month's work. At the final stage the bamboo and salt are in a molten ash state. It is poured into an iron vessel and taken as mold.
After cooling for a few days, a dark gray salt is obtained. Workers break it by hand with great care. After a month, the lumpy salt is pounded into powder with the help of a hammer and packed for sale.
So what's special?
When the salt is injected into the bamboo, the invisible microplastic particles are removed. When the bamboo is heated, the oil that comes out of it mixes with the salt. All the nutrients of the bamboo will come to the salt. A kilo of bamboo salt sells for between $179 and $224. In Indian currency, it starts at Rs 13,900 and goes up to Rs 17,400. Although the price is high, Koreans are willing to buy it because they know its value.
Bamboo salt has an important place in Korean culture and its traditional medicinal practices. Since the 20th century, salt processing has been introduced 9 times. Before that, they process only 3 times.
This salt with low toxicity and high mineral content is used not only for cooking but also for making various products like paste and soap. Its taste is unique. Egg yolk-like taste. They are said to have health benefits including digestion, beauty products, and anti-cancer properties. This is the reason why bamboo salt is sold at a high price.
What does the World Health Organization say?
The medicinal benefits of bamboo salt have not yet been proven by scientific studies. At the same time, compared to normal salt, bamboo salt has been proven to contain more iron, potassium and calcium. It helps to boost immunity. Minerals are low, mostly sodium chloride. It is not clear how much it helps protect health.
In a 2016 report by the World Health Organization, this special salt is not known to be toxic. But does not provide the corresponding benefits. How much better than sea salt remains to be explored. Be that as it may, the truth is that bamboo salt has its own specialty in Korea.
