Black lime and chilli salt

This salt is Sally’s invention, and it was on the Nixon Room menu for months in 2024.  It is good on popcorn with a bit of icing sugar added or on grilled vegies or chicken. 

• 10g g black limes (about 1 or 2 limes), ground finely in a food processor, spice grinder or Thermomix (see note)
• 10g Aleppo pepper (or 15 g of sweet paprika and 5 g cayenne pepper)
• 40 g flaked salt (Maldon or similar – not table salt)
• 20 g Ajinomoto (you can get this from Japanese stores – if you can’t find it use 5 g of garlic powder and an extra 10g of salt)

Note:  Black limes are expensive to buy – and very easy to make.  Blanch the limes in boiling heavily salted water (about as salty as the sea), then chill in iced water.  When cool, place on baking paper on a tray in the oven (or an air fryer, or a dehydrator) set to 70 degrees and dehydrate until they turn black and hard.  This takes about 3 days – but if you have to use the oven just take them out and replace them once you’ve finished cooking.  To make the effort worthwhile we usually make 3 kg or so at a time, as they last virtually forever once dried.  Drop one whole into a casserole or Mexican chilli dish – they give an amazing depth of flavour.