I was driving by the gorgeous tree-canopied lanes of Sector 32 in Noida, when I spotted him for the first time, lying under a shade of tree in an off-white cotton pathani kurta and salwar, with a tonga-cart filled with stones pink, white and black in colour. The explorer in me knew instantly that the things being sold on this cart are not some gemstones, hough one variant does resemble the Rose Quartz. They are, as you may have guessed by now, salts of various kinds.
“Mera naam Krishan Raj hai, main Rohtak se hu,” he said, when I asked him about himself. Raj gathered that I am as interested in his story as I am in the product he is selling, and so he dons the hat of a dramatic seller who is ready to put on a show for an eager customer.
“Look at this madam, this is Multani mitti! If you use it often then your skin will begin to glow. It is a desi face wash!” he quipped rather excitedly. The translation hardly does justice. I wondered if Raj noticed my tired skin which is slowly beginning to show signs of ageing. But, before I could ponder, he proceeded, “Aur yeh hai gulabi fitkari! Saari Dilli ka pollution hata sakti hai yeh!”
Fitkari is a natural alum stone used to clear muddy water. But, then came the masterpieces, the salts. “I have kala namak (black salt), samundri namak (sea salt) from Gujarat, and sendha namak from Pakistan,” he proclaimed. That salt is also called Lahori namak, deriving its name from the city in Pakistan’s Punjab. Some moments later, a pedestrian stopped by and sceptically asked if it is indeed Lahori namak. Raj nodded.
As I quizzed him for a while, while picking up samples of all the items he sold on his cart, Raj enthusiastically detailed how I could use each of them. For instance, pink salt is to be used in daily food like dal and subzi, while sea salt can be used in baking,our man clearly keeps up with what’s in vogue in urban meals! The black salt you can use as per your liking in raita, fruits or salads, Raj confidently concluded.
It was a wholesome, exciting affair, and no less than one that provokes you to think. On my drive back home, I was reminded of the kala chaat masala that is sold in the congested lanes of Old Delhi’s famed spice market, Khari Baoli. The timeless Khari Baoli in Chandni Chowk was established in the 17th century by one of Emperor Shah Jahan’s wives — Fatehpuri Begum. ‘Baoli’, means a step well, and ‘Khari’ translates to salty, thereby translating Khari Baoli to a salty water step well. However, in the current times there is neither water nor any well! It is the largest wholesale spice market in Asia.
A spicy and salty mixture, this masala has been regularly used in my household for raitas and chaats, ever since I can remember. While speaking to Megha Kohli, a celebrated chef and resident of Delhi, she too concurs our shared love for this masala. “Kala chaat masala is made with jeera, coriander seeds, amchoor, kala namak, black pepper, red chilli, ajwain, long pepper, mint leaves” she breaks down the ingredients list. “My daadi used to make this at home. It gives a kick to any food item it’s put in and has a very unique, umami flavour. Even the chutneys in old Delhi have a touch of this spice to give them that unique flavour” she shares, revealing a trade secret!
While the spice wholesalers of Khari Baoli continue to enjoy their unparalleled status of being the spice kings, individual sellers like Krishan Raj aren’t as lucky. “Itni garmi mein kamai nahi hoti hai didi” he shares. The unforgiving scorching summers have taken a toll on their business and they at most end up earning Rs 1,000-1,500 on a good day.
Maybe the next time you spot one of these salt carts, stop by and engage in a conversation with the sellers – if nothing, then you’d come rich with knowledge and a conversation that doesn’t leave a salty taste.
Vernika Awal is a food writer who is known for her research-based articles through her blog ‘Delectable Reveries’
