Black Lime Salt With Star Anise and Cinnamon
Star anise adds a toasty licorice-like sweetness to this salt, grounded with cinnamon. Sour ground black lime — made from dried limes, a commonly used component in Persian cuisine — adds a bracing tartness to the warm spices. Try it on the most candy-like sweet cantaloupe or muskmelon you can find.
Add the star anise and cinnamon stick to a small skillet set over medium heat and cook, swirling occasionally, until fragrant and warmed through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a bowl and let cool completely. Immediately add the ground black lime to the still-warm skillet and let it stand to allow the ambient heat to lightly warm the spice.
Transfer the whole spices to a spice grinder or small food processor and pulse until finely ground. Return the ground spices to the bowl and add the ground black lime, salt and sugar. Use your fingers to mix and rub the salt until everything is evenly combined.
Spread out on a plate or small baking sheet and let dry at room temperature for about 2 hours or overnight. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
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