Himalayan Salt Cooking Plate/Salt Slab
Buried deep under the Himalayan foothills, Himalayan pink salt has been around for millions of years. But it is only recently that the world has woken up to the many benefits of this pink crystal.
Himalayan pink salt is used in cooking as a healthier substitute to table salt, but there is another way that the salt can be used for cooking. A salt cooking plate or salt slab is a unique way to cook and flavour your food at the same time. Using a salt cooking plate helps improve digestion, regulate the level of water in the body and prevent infection because of its antimicrobial properties. The salt slab can also be used as a serving plate.
What is a salt cooking plate/salt slab?
A salt cooking plate/salt slab is a block of Himalayan pink salt that has been cut into a slab. When Himalayan pink salt is mined from the Punjab region of Pakistan, it is in large blocks. The blocks are then cut down to size and used for various purposes. Salt cooking plates are usually about 1.5-2 inches in height and 8-10 inches in diameter or length and breadth.
Salt cooking plates/salt slabs are popular to use because they impart the salty flavour to the food being cooked during the cooking process. The cooking plates have a lovely pink to an orange hue that makes them attractive to use when guests are over. You can even use the salt cooking plate to serve the food to your guests.
The additional benefit of a salt cooking plate is that the Himalayan pink salt has a number of health benefits which get passed on to food that is cooked on the salt slab.
Health benefits of using a salt cooking plate/salt slab
The health benefits include:
- The nutrition of the food is better retained due to the slow cooking process of the salt slab.
- Health benefits including better digestion, better blood circulation, regulated blood pressure and regulated blood sugar are passed from the salt to the food.
- The surface of the block is antimicrobial and helps prevent infections.
How to use a salt cooking plate/salt slab
To use a salt cooking plate/salt slab for cooking, place the slab directly on your burner on low heat. The slab has to be heated up very slowly to prevent cracking. After about twenty minutes, increase the heat to medium and heat the slab for another twenty minutes. Finally, increase the heat to high and let the slab heat completely.
To check if the salt cooking plate/slab is ready for cooking, sprinkle a little bit of water on it. If the water sizzles and evaporates, the slab is ready for use.
Place your food directly on the slab and cook for a few minutes on each side. Meat should be sliced thin or to a medium thickness for even cooking. Cook thin slices of meat for about two minutes on one side and then flip over and cook for another two minutes. Medium sliced meat will require about four minutes per side.
Grill vegetables according to how crunchy or soft you want them to be. Vegetables that give out a lot of water like zucchini might pick up a lot of salt, so don’t leave them on for more than a minute per side.
To clean the salt cooking plate/salt slab, first, make sure that it has cooled completely. With a moist sponge or scouring pad, scrub the pad till all bits of food are removed. Do not use soap on the slab. Repeat if necessary and then dry well with a towel. Store the salt cooking plate/salt slab in a dry place.
Salt cooking plates/salt slabs are available in different sizes and shapes at JR Himalaya.