Awajishima no Moshio - Japanese Seaweed Sea Salt 35.2 oz (1kg)

Moshio is the earliest known sea salt produced by our Japanese ancestors nearly 2,500 years ago. Although Japan is surrounded by seawater, the country's humid, rainy climate has never been well suited for large-scale production of dry salt.

Traditionally, ancient Japanese produced salt-ash by spreading seaweed on the beach to dry between storms, rinsing the plants in an isolated saltwater pool, and then boiling the brine with bits of remaining seaweed in a clay pot over a wood fire to evaporate the water, crystallize the salt and reducing the seaweed pieces to ash. This salt-ash mixture became the staple salt of the region.

Unpolluted salt water collected from the Seto-uchi Inland Sea is left in a large pool to stand for a while, evaporating some of the water and saturating the salt solution. Hon'dawara seaweed is then added to the saltwater for infusion of its flavor and color, as well as some minerals, including iodine.

After some time the seaweed is removed and the salt water is transferred to and cooked in a large iron pot until it gradually begins to crystallize, becoming a mass resembling a chunky sherbet. This is then put into a centrifuge to extract more water. The last step in the process is to cook the salt mass in a large pot over an open fire, stirring continuously with a large wooden paddle. This removes almost all moisture and the salt becomes tiny, free-flowing granules.

Moshio Ancient sea salt has a unique color and its flavor is round and rich due to the ample presence of minerals and other chemicals, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, iodine, and a rich umami flavor.