A kitchen staple that is taken for granted too often, the salt boasts a presence and absence that can be blatantly felt. Doesn’t matter what our taste preference is, this mineral has endure numerous debates on its benefits and detriments to our health. Best be discerning, while learning as much as you can about what this taste-maker is supposed to be.
One common knowledge about the regular table salt is how it has undergone processing, which depletes its natural minerals and adds additives to it. No, this does not spell the end of tasty food. Rather, this opens the door to a healthy alternative.
Meet The Farquhar Himalayan Food Grade Salt Slab. Containing 84 essential minerals required by the human body, the salt slab elegantly flavours food while nourishing your body with natural goodness. Food basically absorbs the flavours of the salt when placed on it. It could work as a serving plate or a surface to cook on. The ways to use it is only limited by your inventiveness.
We had a chat with The Indiana Supply Company who introduces The Farquhar Himalayan Food Grade Salt Slab to the local scene, to find out more about how the salt slab can revolutionise the way we eat.
Nookmag (N): Tell us more about how The Indiana Supply Company was established and how you discovered the Farquhar Himalayan Food Grade Salt Slabs.
The Indiana Supply CO.(TISC): The Indiana Supply Company is a culmination of many little ideas and many little things: part love-letter to history, part love-letter to the arts, part memento mori. Genesis, however, can be pinned to one comment made by one of our own “when I retire, I shall like to run my own provision shop.”
And we were determined. Our place would be beautiful, and our place will have a strong spine. To do so, we knew we had to start with the crux. We knew we had to start with salt.
The Indiana Supply Company is a love-letter to my dearest memories.
N: Salt, in general, seems to be associated with negative attributes. What are the benefits of using the salt slab as an alternative, besides its amazing flavouring abilities.
TISC: Salt is certainly a very divisive mineral (of all the many things we eat in this world, salt is the only mineral we consume), and there will always be camps for and against it.
As for The Indiana Supply Co., what we are building towards is not so much an internet of things, but the poetry of things. As we continue to build our house, the poetry of salt will become more apparent, like its movement, its appearance, its lasting impression, and the indelible mark some salts leave on us.
As for the benefits of using the salt slab (if I may keep in the current vein), in this form, what we are essentially working with is a semi-precious stone. It has colour, character, and there is a gravitas about it. It is hard not to be stirred, pulled in by its presence.
N: How could we work it?
TISC: Here’s “The Home-Dinner Narrative”.
24-hours prior, cure salmon between two salt slabs (Brick).
Starter:
Watermelon, feta, mint leaves served on a room-temperature salt slab (Brick).
After use, return to freezer to freeze.
Main: Aglio Olio (pasta with cured salmon slices, on the side Gambas Al Ajillo + scallops)
Prepare Aglio Olio in a pan.
On a heated salt slab (Brick), sear prawns, then scallops.
Combine pasta with prawns and scallops and serve.
Dessert: Salted dark chococlate ice-cream
Dark chocolate ice-cream served on freezer-chilled Brick.
As the narrative goes, salt slabs can be used at various temperature points – room-temperature, over 200°C, at 0°C, as either table-ware, or cook-ware. Take note – keep separate salt slabs for hot and cold use. The stress of the temperature extremes between frost and flame is too great for any salt slab to maintain its structural integrity.
N: In what ways can you use salt slabs for your food? Please suggest any interesting recipes.
TISC:
Saturday
1 piece of sashimi-grade salmon, de-skined.
A sprig of dill.
A spray of pepper.
Sandwich everything between two salt slabs, wrap in cling-wrap, throw it to the back of the fridge.
Sunday
24-hours later, remove salmon and pat dry with napkin.
You have cured salmon.
Monday
7:45 a.m.: A few slices of cured salmon, a hardboiled egg, beads of balsamic vinegar, a few crumbs of cheese, some greens between 2 slices of bread, you’ve just made lunch for the day.
8:00 a.m.: You’re gliding out of the house.
Tuesday
7:00 p.m.: Aglio Olio + cured salmon bits + edamame.
7:30 p.m.: You’re having dinner.
N: What are the correct ways to store salt slabs to keep them fresh?
TISC: Salt is hydroscopic (it draws water/moisture); and Singapore’s humidity stands at around 88%. A clammy prospect. Some places in Singapore are less humid than others; I haven’t figured out why this is. It could be because of air conditioning or lack of air flow. Those for cooking, I keep in a no-frills tupperware container after use. What I do is I squeeze a few drops of lemon to keep it smelling citrusy fresh. I also have one permanently in a Ziploc in the chiller; used for fruits, ice-cream, for those who drop in unannounced, and I have another two in a Ziploc in the fridge which I use for curing.
Otherwise, just store in a cool and dry environment. If the salt slab sweats from the humidity, it’s not a big deal either. Just wipe dry with a towel every now and then. Some folks have managed to use this to their advantage but that is another story for another day.
N: What are the different sizes available and how long does one salt slab last?
TISC: Currently we stock The Brick 20x10x5 cm and The Plate 30x20x5 cm.
If you are using it to cook over the gas stove, it is hard to say. It really depends on how you take care of it i.e. do you temper it properly, do you heat it up gradually, do you soak it in water. Ours is a real work horse. We’ve lost count the number of feathers, fins and fowl we’ve cooked on it. That said, I’ve heard of salt slabs shattering on the first heating. Should this happen even adhering to heating best practice, then it is most likely due to the natural distribution of minerals. In the event something like that happens, think fast but act slow. Meaning, turn off the fire and step away: the salt shards are probably hot so give it some time to cool down before cleaning up.
The Farquhar Himalayan Food Grade Salt Slab Brick retails at SGD37, while the Plate retails at SGD90. Catch The Indiana Supply Company at Crateful. The Crateful pop-up store is located at 1M Yong Siak Street from now till end of the year.
