Mortar and Pestle

Basic Granite Mortar and Pestle with Toasted Cumin Seeds

It’s just such a cool looking kitchen tool. When I see them I can visualize a much different time, like the beginning of the beginning of time, like right after fire was discovered and cooking began. That time way way way back before ANYthing modern. Well, it is literally an ancient implement comprised of a hard core bowl and base (the mortar) and sturdy club (the pestle). Pressing and twisting the pestle against the inside of the mortar crushes and breaks down spices and other ingredients, turning them into a powder or paste. You can find variations all over the world, in all shapes, sizes and materials. The Italians use for pesto, Thailand for their amazing curry pastes, Mexico for masa, and my favorite is for Dukkah that you find in Egyptian cooking. Finding the right style for you is a matter of taste. Mine is small and has ridges inside creating a rough texture to help me with a little extra friction to grind. I have on my wish list I hope to have one with a larger mortar and pestle with a wider bottom for pesto and salsas.

I’m not into having lots and lots of tools or gadgets in my home kitchen. Working with my hands and doing things with craft excite me. Cooking this way really is and has my energy verses the energy of a machine. I feel it matters. Cooking this way teaches me about the process while increasing texture and turns the volume up on the flavor and richness. (In the commercial kitchen I need the blender or a spice grinder for the volume, but at home with small amounts you will find me using this “lo-fi” as it gets tool, plus it just looks great on your counter. Then there is the romance of mine being a beautiful heirloom to pass down to Maxx, him having memories of us cooking together as he uses it. Love that so much!

Ground vs Whole spices
Lets talk about spice and why you may want to add this to your kitchen. Those store bought ground spices from the store, did you know they have lost so much flavor by the time you use them and once opened it, the losing gains on you even quicker? The oils in the seeds and pods make spices like cardamom, cumin, and nutmeg so very delicious and aromatic. These oils, are extremely volatile when exposed to air, but stay pretty well protected as long as they remain inside the seed or spice. As soon as you grind them up, the oils are exposed and spices start to lose their enticing essence. I did not grow up with this practice like many cultures, but MAN! the more you KNOW? Right!? Just wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you- literally a WILD experience about flavor.

For fun do a side by side comparison of say cumin store bought ground and take some seeds and grind fresh. That pre ground will be cumin and ok probably …meh. If you are like me you probably add more to your dish because, well… the food is just not popp’n. But the freshly-ground cumin will be a different experience, like an eye-popping aroma and a much deeper more complex flavor taking over two of your senses. experience. It’s powerful and when someone walks in the kitchen or into the house. Can you see that cartoon frangrence floating in the air to their nose? They got that intensity of flavor- its the flirt of what’s to come. “What. are. YOU. COOKING!? It smells so GOOD in here!” You know that tease that makes your mouth water knowing what is to come. You know…delicious food, baby. Just one of life’s pure pleasures. Amen!

Chef Tips:

Buying Spices

When you can buy from the bulk spice section. These spices are the most fresh and you can buy only what you need. The longer the spice is on the shelf at the store or at home it is losing flavor, even the seeds and pods. If you are hording spices know that after a year-toss and get fresh.

Grind Extra
When grinding spices I will add a little more than I need. Use that time and energy now and then, I store the extra for when I am in a pinch needing to throw dinner together with limited time and effort. I promise the flavor is still far better than the store bought pre ground spices.

Toast the Spices
Wanna take it one step further to layering flavors, toast the spices before grinding. In a skillet on med heat stirring often or on a cookie sheet (sheet pan) in your oven until they start to turn golden brown. The aroma will take the spices to that next level and totally level up your cooking game.

Cleaning and Seasoning Your Mortar and Pestle
These tools need a little start when you take them home. One like mine, I rinsed with water and wiped it dry with a towel. (never use chemicals like soap)

Then after the rinse and dry, I ground an entire bulb of peeled garlic with a pinch of salt until it was a paste, and all over the inside of the bowl of the motar. Let it sit for 24 hours. That next day I scraped it out, then rinsed it all off with warm water.

For the third step I ground about two heaping tablespoons of white rice with about half teaspoon of water until it was a white rice paste. If the rice paste is grey or an ash color rinse with water, and repeat until your rice paste is white.

Then the last step I added two tablespoons of rock salt and ground until it was a powder. (you can use the salt for cooking) At this place, your mortar and pestle is ready to use and you will find it will season the more you use it.

Cleaning it after each use simply use a dry towel and wipe out, if you make a wet paste, just a simple rinse and dry with a towel.

Hope your flavorful life is now twice the spice.