How to make (and use) flavoured salts

There are a lot of interesting flavoured salts available in specialty stores these days – and a lot with hefty prices attached to them. Making your own specialty salt is easier than you think; all you need is some good quality Kosher salt, the flavouring of your choice and a spice grinder, coffee grinder or mini chop.

Flavoured salts can be used anywhere from finishing a dish to seasoning kale chips, French fries, popcorn or rimming a cocktail glass. Here are a few of my favourite flavoured salts to whip together at home.

Quick tip: Here is the best way to clean out your coffee grinder before and after grinding anything other than coffee: Wipe it clean with a dry paper towel. Grind 1/4 cup white rice to a powder. Empty the grinder and then wipe clean again with a dry paper towel.

Porcini salt Grind 1/2 cup crumbled dried porcini in a coffee grinder and whirl until it becomes a powder. Add 1 tbsp Kosher salt and pulse until combined but salt remains coarse.

Lime salt Combine 2 tbsp Kosher salt with 2 tsp lime zest in a coffee grinder. Pulse until combined.

Cocoa salt Combine 1 tbsp cocoa nibs, 1 tbsp brown sugar and 2 tbsp Kosher salt to a spice grinder. Pulse until combined but salt remains coarse.

Chili salt Grind 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes in a spice grinder and whirl until finely ground. Add 2 tbsp Kosher salt and pulse until combined but salt remains coarse.

Nori salt Crumble 1 sheet of Nori into a coffee grinder and whirl until it becomes a powder. Add 2 tbsp Kosher salt and pulse until combined but salt remains coarse.

Brown sugar salt Place 1 tbsp brown sugar in a spice grinder and whirl until it becomes a powder. Add 1 tbsp Kosher salt and pulse until combined but salt remains coarse.

Smokey salt Combine 2 tsp smoked paprika with 2 tbsp Kosher salt in a coffee grinder and pulse until combined but salt remains coarse.

Curry salt Combine 2 tsp curry powder or garam masala with 2 tbsp Kosher salt in a coffee grinder and pulse until combined but salt remains coarse.