From Crushing to Flavorful Bliss: How a Mortar and Pestle Revolutionized My Cooking Journey
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Why? Why Do You Need a Mortar and Pestle?
This is the question I asked myself when I found more than one recipe suggesting a mortar and pestle. To avoid spending unnecessary money, it’s a valid question one should always ask before buying a possible one-time-use tool. Much like the mandoline, it seemed like something I could avoid if I spent enough time trying to DIY the process. I once tried grinding dried spices with a rolling pin inside a coffee mug. It worked. But it was painful.
I landed on a recipe that called for ground saffron. The recipe was an Iranian Kashke and Eggplant Dip. After reading through the directions, I realized I wanted to grind that saffron myself. So I opened my coin purse and bought a modestly priced Mortar and Pestle. It seemed like a perfectly logical step in learning to cook.
And I have no regrets.
What are a Mortar and Pestle?
A mortar and pestle is a kitchen tool used for crushing, grinding, and mixing substances. It consists of two parts: a bowl, usually made of stone, ceramic, or wood, and a club-shaped tool called a pestle. The pestle is used to grind and crush ingredients in the bowl, which can be used for making pastes, powders, and other ingredients used in cooking or medicine. The mortar and pestle have been used for thousands of years. They are often used to grind spices, herbs, and other ingredients to make seasoning blends, curry pastes, and other flavorful foods.
Grinding is Satisfying
Using a mortar and pestle can be a fun and rewarding experience for a few reasons. First, there is something satisfying about the tactile experience of grinding and crushing ingredients by hand. You feel more connected to the food and the process of preparing it.
There is a satisfying feeling from grinding and crushing ingredients by hand.
Additionally, using a mortar and pestle can be a great way to release stress and tension. The rhythmic motion of grinding and crushing can be a calming and meditative activity that helps you focus and relax.
Finding the Right Mortar
Having zero experience with grinding ingredients, I looked at a variety of pestles and mortars. For no reason other than liking the aesthetic, I wanted a stone set. There were very small bowls specifically for spices and large bowls big enough to make guacamole. I had considered getting the larger bowl because my husband Mike makes guacamole. In the end, I purchased a smaller bowl. Mike has been making amazing guacamole for years and I didn’t see the need to disrupt his already proven method. However, he definitely checked the size when I used it for the first time to see if he could make guacamole from it. Lesson learned.
This mortar and pestle is the perfect size for now as it holds about 1 cup of ingredients. I intend to only use it to grind herbs, and spices, and make small sauces. The set came with a small spoon and brush with easy care instructions.
Mortar and Pestle from Amazon. It came with a small spoon, brush, and rubber pad.
Revolutionary Recipes that Call for The Mortar and Pestle
This Iranian Kashke and Eggplant Dip from Food and Wine were so delicious with lavash bread. I grounded saffron springs to make the liquid saffron drizzle over the dip.
For this Hamburger Helpa recipe I grounded mustard seeds to make dry mustard.
The Baked Onions called for crushed fennel seeds which made a delicious bread crumb topping for the onions. I used the leftover crumbs for other dishes throughout the week.
Food and Wine’s Mortar and Pestle Garlic Aioli recipe recommends using a marble mortar and wooden pestle. I used my stone mortar and pestle and it worked just fine, but I made sure to clean it really well after. It’s worth considering getting a large marble mortar and wooden pestle for oil-based mixes and well…guacamole.
No Regrets
Using a mortar and pestle can be a fun way to experiment with different flavors and create your own unique blends. By adjusting the ratio of ingredients and the level of grinding, you can create a variety of textures and flavor profiles that you may not be able to achieve with pre-packaged seasoning blends.
Ground saffron and mustard seeds.
Pink peppercorns and fennel seeds are great to grind to make custom blends.
Mortar and Pestle with ingredients for fennel bread crumbs.
After using a mortar and pestle for a couple of different recipes, I have no regrets. It has been a fun and engaging way to enhance my cooking skills and elevate the flavors of my dishes. I definitely recommend bringing this tool into your kitchen (if you have room.)
This ancient kitchen tool has brought a lot of bliss into my cooking, so much so that I’m considering opening the coin purse again for the mandoline.
Kitchen Tool Wishlist
Kitchen Tool Wishlist: Mandoline, Bowl Mixer, Lionhead Bowls, and Trifle Bowl
