If once it was limited to the territory of these islands, today it is one of the salts most used in creative cuisine. It comes from marine waters It is extracted from the sea water collected near the island of Molokai, which dries up on volcanic clay. It is an edible clay, which provides a high percentage of iron, healthy minerals and noble elements.
Alaea Red Hawaii red salt: features and benefits
In terms of flavor, Hawaiian red salt is particularly intense in flavor, with a pleasantly earthy flavor and a slightly ferrous aftertaste. On the palate it is a salt with a crunchy consistency, with pleasant sensations in contrast with rather soft foods. It gives dishes a pleasant aroma of toasted hazelnuts, while adding a vibrant red color to dishes. Nutritionally, Alaea Hawaiian Red Salt contains up to 80 different natural minerals, including potassium and magnesium, which are usually removed from processing in refined salt. These natural nutrients and electrolytes help regulate blood pressure, beneficial processes for muscles and the body. In addition, it is a salt with a low sodium content. Its red color comes from clay of volcanic origin, which also gives the salt good doses of iron. The small amounts of red alaea, in addition to giving the red color, enrich the Hawaiian sea salt with iron oxide - making it a digestible source of dietary iron. This is one of the reasons why Hawaiian red salt is indicated in the diet of those with a deficiency of this mineral (even if it does not replace supplements and the diet recommended by the nutritionist). Hawaiian red salt is also used as a cosmetic salt, thanks to its skin-friendly properties. The clay combined with salt, in scrubs and face masks, is easily absorbed into the skin, with a detoxifying effect - for a smooth and purified skin.
Origins and History of the extraction
The Hawaiian salt is extracted from seawater collected near the island of Molokai: a silver sea salt that dries up on the red volcanic clay, taking on its color. It was collected by the Hawaiians when the clay sediments, during heavy rains, poured into the sea from the rivers of the territory. The ocean water remained trapped in the marshes formed by the tide, meeting the Alea clay that saturated it. The subsequent evaporation gave rise to this special red sea salt, ready to be harvested. The union with the Alaea was excellent being an edible earth, soluble in water and colloidal. Both clay and red salt were used by shamans for the sacred rituals of these islands, for blessing and purification ceremonies (hi'uwai) - because they knew its cleansing properties on the body. Through this salt the tools and houses were also cleaned and blessed, as well as the sacred temples and the indispensable canoes. It also played a role in healing rituals and in creating Hawaiian medicinal remedies. Of course, it was also used as a table salt in several Hawaiian dishes, such as kalua pork, poke, and pipikaula (Hawaiian dried meat). In addition to preserving food in salt. Contact with Europeans led Hawaiians in the 19th century to produce greater quantities of alaea salt. At the time it was exported to Pacific fishermen for salmon salting. Today this special Alaea sea salt is one of the most expensive gourmet salts.
Nutritional values of Alaea Red salt
This Hawaiian salt contains mostly sodium chloride, as well as trace elements, iron oxide and minerals.
How is Hawaiian red salt used in cooking?
This red salt is used in traditional Hawaiian cuisine, to flavor typical dishes such as raw fish salad (the famous poké) and beef and dried meat dishes (the pipikaula). The crunchy texture of Hawaiian Red Alaea sea salt makes it perfect for grilled fish, seafood and roasted meat dishes. The earthy and characteristic flavor is appreciated in slow cooking with wood, inside a pit, the traditional Hawaiian Kalua method, often used to cook pork. It is also used for its particular scenographic effect on dishes, also as a contrast with eggs, potatoes, salads, soups and vegetables in vegetarian cuisine. In addition to exotic dishes, inspired by Hawaiian cuisine, this salt is widely used in blends of spices and plantsaromatic, ready to be cooked. In addition, in Italian cuisine, it can be combined well in many dishes. It should be borne in mind that Hawaiian red salt has a bold, rich and full-bodied flavor, which makes it more persistent than classic table salt. If the white salt loses its intensity during cooking, this Hawaiian sea salt retains its intense flavor. A strength that is best appreciated when this ingredient is used raw, in the final salting. In particular, the robust intensity of this red salt is great for grilled and roasted meats, from poultry or pork to red meat. Also suitable for vegetarian cooking, to add flavor to slightly sapid vegetables and soups.
Alaea Red salt: side effects and contraindications
Caution is advised in the intake of sea salt in case of hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, diseases related to the kidneys and blood vessels. Furthermore, it is good to moderate the quantities during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
