Alum Whole

Whole crystals of alum, the naturally occurring mineral potassium aluminium sulfate. The crystals are hard and glassy, and the taste is sharply astringent and mouth-puckering, closer to the dry grip of an unripe persimmon than to anything salty.

Alum is also sold as fitkari, phitkari, fatakri or potassium alum, and the crystals are clear to milky white lumps of different sizes, with a slightly glassy surface. They store well in a dry jar and dissolve slowly in water, which is why many households grind a piece as needed. The listing is for the whole crystal, not powder. Its sharp, clean character is the reason it has stayed in so many kitchens and homes for generations.

How to use it

In the kitchen a small amount goes into pickling brines, where it helps fruit and vegetables hold their firmness and bright appearance. Its mild acidity supports crisp textures, which is why it appears in so many traditional pickle recipes. Outside cooking, alum is commonly used as a traditional deodorant and in everyday personal-care routines, and its coagulating properties make it useful in water clarification. Technique tip: use it sparingly, on the order of a small pinch per litre of brine, and dissolve it fully in the hot brine before the vegetables go in, since undissolved crystals leave hard astringent spots on the finished pickle.

Details

Also known as

Potassium Aluminum Sulfate, Fatakri, Fitkari, Phitkari, الشب, फिटकरी, پھٹکری, alum