Svan salt
A Georgian seasoning salt from the mountains of Svaneti: coarse salt pounded with garlic, chili, coriander seed and blue fenugreek.
Svan salt is a traditional seasoning blend from Svaneti in northwestern Georgia, made by pounding coarse salt with fresh garlic, dried chilies, coriander seed and blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), often also dill seed, caraway and marigold petals. It is slightly moist to crumbly, distinctly salty, hot and garlicky, with a nutty, hay-like note from the blue fenugreek. It is used in place of salt to season meat, potatoes, vegetables, soups, salads and bread, not as an extra spice on top of salt. It can be found in Georgian, Russian and Eastern European grocery shops and by mail order; homemade, it keeps for months in a tightly sealed jar.
Substitute:
It is best made at home: pound coarse sea salt in a mortar with fresh garlic, chili flakes, ground coriander and, if available, blue fenugreek. Without blue fenugreek the characteristic nutty, hay-like note is missing; a very small amount of ground fenugreek seed comes close but tastes more bitter. Ordinary garlic salt captures only part of the flavor.