 Alaea salt is an unrefined sea salt that gets its brick red color from a Hawaiian volcanic clay called ʻalaea, composed of over 80 minerals and rich in iron oxide | |
| Alternative names | Hawaiian red salt |
|---|---|
| Type | Sea salt |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Hawaii |
| Main ingredients | Salt |
| Ingredients generally used | Red ʻalaea volcanic clay |
Alaea salt, alternatively referred to as Hawaiian red salt, is an unrefined sea salt that has been mixed with an iron oxide rich volcanic clay called ʻalaea, which gives the seasoning its characteristic brick red color. It is part of Native Hawaiian cuisine and is used in traditional dishes such as kalua pig, poke, and pipikaula (Hawaiian jerky). It was also traditionally used to cleanse, purify and bless tools, canoes, homes and temples. Once exported to the Pacific Northwest to cure salmon, it saw a resurgence in popularity late in the 20th century in fusion style cuisine of Hawaii both on Islands and beyond.