Pink, grey, black, green… salt comes in more exotic colours, textures and flavours than the container of simple white table salt most of us know. Anantara’s Salt Gurus have unravelled the complexities of salt to advise both our chefs and our guests on how to best season dishes with different salts from around the world.

“Each of the salts has an interesting story,” one of our gurus explained, “and it’s different in the way it complements the subtleties of different dishes.”

Read our salt primer below, or ask to chat with your Anantara Salt Guru to explore the planet’s most popular seasoning.

Salts of the earth! Exotic flavours from around the globe

Cyprus Black Lava Salt

This simple Mediterranean flake salt is mixed with activated charcoal, giving it a beautiful colour, unique taste and natural detoxifying properties.

Serving suggestions: Cyprus Black Lava Salt enhances salads, chicken, red meat, fish, sauces and soups, and is perfect for encrusting the rims of Margarita glasses.

Salish Smoked Salt

Hailing from the U.S.’s Pacific Northwest, Salish Smoked Salt is an organic sea salt cool-smoked over red alder wood for a clean, smoky taste.

Serving suggestions: Salish Smoked Salt is excellent for adding smoked flavour both on and off the BBQ, and is recommended with salmon, red meat or creamy pasta dishes.

Peruvian Pink Salt

Peruvian Pink Salt has been harvested for more than 2,000 years, and is extracted from a natural spring 4,000 metres above sea level, high in the mountains of Peru. An abundance of trace minerals give the crystals a light pink colour, as well as added nutritional benefits.

Serving suggestions: Peruvian Pink Salt has a crisp texture and strong flavour that can be used to finish salads, meats, seafood and soups or sauces.

Black Truffle Salt

Imported from Europe, Black Truffle Salt is a blend of precious ground black truffles and natural sea salt. One of the most expensive mushrooms in the world, black truffles have a rich, earthy flavour and are coveted by chefs around the globe.

Serving suggestions: Black Truffle Salt is an ideal addition to omelets, pasta, mashed potatoes or sprinkled on french fries or buttered popcorn.

Coconut and Lime Smoked Sea Salt

Indigenous coconut and kaffir lime leaves are mingled with tropical salt harvested from the Bali Sea to create a smoky salt with a bite of citrus. The beautiful geometric crystals grind easily and absorb lots of flavour.

Serving suggestions: Coconut and Lime Smoked Sea Salt pairs well with salads,  fresh seafood and chicken.

Kala Namak (Indian Black Salt)

Kala Namak, also known as Indian Black Salt, has a high sulfur content that mimics the taste and smell of eggs, and is used extensively in Indian cuisine. In spite of its name, the salt is pink with a powdery texture once ground.

Serving suggestions: In addition to Indian and other South Asian foods, Kala Namak can be used to add natural egg flavour to vegan dishes.

Learn more from the Salt Gurus at Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa Maldives and Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara.

What’s your favourite variety of salt and how do you use it? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Weibo.