What do *you* use your mortar and pestle for?

[nutmegananne]

Ok, I just purchased a gorgeous granite mortar and pestle. I know that I need to grind some raw rice first to get all of the residual granite dust out. I plan on using it to grind peppercorns and other whole spices for rubs, pastes, etc. I know you can also make up some good basil pesto in it. What else do you do with yours?? This is 7" in diameter and around 12 lbs, so instead of taking it in and out of my cabinet, I'm planning on leaving it on the counter. So I would love to find as many uses for it as possible :)

[bestcookware]

I have a granite mortar, just like the one Jamie Oliver used in his earlier shows. I use it to make rubs, such as garlic, herbs and spices, to grind nuts, sometimes to crack pepper just a bit, I even mash jalapeno peppers for a jalapeno bechamel sauce I use for vegetarian lasagna.
It also looks beautiful on my counter :)

[Chemicalkinetics]

I use them to grind spices. That's it.

[kscooley]

Just ordered a large 4 cup granite from Amazon the other day & got my ship notice tonight. Monday will be time to play with a new toy! It was a help seeing what everyone uses their M&Ps for. I need to learn how exactly one makes salsa & guac in it, though... Everything gets all mashed in there together?

[ratgirlagogo]

I love my mortar and pestle and use it all the time. But not for guacamole. I've never actually understand why you would make guacamole in a mortar and pestle in the first place. The avocado just needs to be mashed with a fork, the salsa cruda is prepared on a cutting board with a knife, yes? What's the M&P for? Crushing dried chiles or something?

[kscooley]

I'm clueless! I just saw that the larger M&Ps get used for this - at least the molcajetes do. Thought it would be fun to try.

[Rick]

When I've made guac with m&p I put in the garlic, jalapenos, cilantro, onion, and salt and grind all of that together. I then take that mixture and proceed to make the guac as per normal. I did notice that it tasted a little more flavorful this way, but I did it twice and never did it again. Didn't find it to be worth the hassle.

[vanderb]

Flax seeds for morning yogurt and as listed by other folks Thai curry pastes, any and all spice mixes/marinades.

We had three, a small marble one cupper but the pestle broke when it landed on the equaly hard marble floor, a pretty olive wood one that's a little under 1 cup... but ended up not working for much of anything and is now a change dish and the newest big boy addition, a large 3 cup granite monster from one of the Asian stores in the Naschmarkt in Vienna.

[klyeoh]

To prepare curry pastes for Singaporean or Malaysian curries. We'd pound chillis (fresh & dried), garlic, shallots, ginger, galangal, candlenuts & lemongrass together. Using a food processor doesn't have the same effect - when lemongrass stalks are pounded, for example, essentials oils are released & the resultant curry paste has a more pronounced scent/fragrance. A food processor merely *cuts* the stalks into bits.

[nattythecook]

I have 2 sets, wood and granite. The wooden set is for papaya salad because all you need to do is bruise it, it doesn't work well for spices.

I use the granite mortar and pestle for grinding Thai curry pastes. They grind as opposed to cut, which is what a food processor does. Even though it takes more time and muscle, it gives better results.

For grinding spices, the granite set works really well, especially with peppercorns. The peppercorns tend to escape the food processor blade.

The added benefit of the heavy mortar is muscle toning. I'm developing a good bicep, just on one side. Bummer.

And my kids have another toy wooded set. And that's what Thai kids play with!

[ellabee]

Harissa (hot peppers, garlic, spices)

Thai pastes

Haven't found mine quite big enough for pesto, though the 4+" hemisphere bowl holds just under two cups. it's Thai volcanic rock of some kind.

[rainey]

I have a few. For spices the really small ones are ideal. I had one that was a cheap, hollow ceramic thingie. For about 2 weeks it provided *great* service. The roughness of the interior of the mortar was perfect! Then one day the mortar simply smashed like an eggshell under the pressure of the pestle.

What I learned from that is that if I ever find the same one again, I will fill the hollow underside with Plaster of Paris to give it some heft. No other shape or design I've found since has done the same job.

Everyone has had great ideas. The only thing I can add is that when I make bread dough in my breadmaker some of the dough collects around the paddles and on the pan. I let this dry. I can brush off the sides but a good bit of tasty, well-fermented, aged dough turns into little rocks at the bottom around the stems of the paddles. I tease that out with the tip of a knife and put it in a small mortar to break it down into a powder. Instant "old dough" or leavain to add to the yeast for my next batch.

If you do sourdough, collect this stuff as "insurance" in case your sourdough ever gives up the ghost. Dissolve it and then begin feeding it, just like a sourdough, and you'll get a live culture going again with the same well-developed flavor you thought you lost.

[grayelf]

Great post, rainey.

[mattstolz]

I personally dont have a mortar and pestle (yet...want one!) but my mom purchased a mocajete a few months ago.

so far ive just used it for a workout while grinding down rice in it to get it ready for her to actually USE! haha

[Nablusiya]

Nut butters! I don't currently have a food processor, so I use mine to make almond butter, peanut butter and other nut butters. I remember the day I discovered that this was possible with a mortar and pestle: my heart soared. It only takes about five minutes of pounding and grinding.

I oven-roast raw nuts so that I can control the amount of salt. For almond butter (or 'ABC butter'--almond, cashew and brazil nuts), I add a little vegetable oil for texture and salt for flavor. For peanut butter, I add vegetable oil, salt, and a sweetener (I experiment with different types of molasses, syrups or honey).

I also use it to make pestos, grind spices and salt, smash up garlic and ginger, and mash beans.

[iyc_nyc]

Nablusiya, do you for your nut butters, do you add the additional ingredients (honey, etc.) in the mortar and mash together, or just mix it in after?

[Nablusiya]

I start out just pounding the nuts by themselves--as they break up, I find it's helpful to be able to smash-and-spread the chunks against the stone. When it gets too thick, and I'm constantly using a rubber spatula to break it up, I start adding a little oil. It depends entirely on the oil content of the nuts--with peanuts, I add oil pretty quickly after it starts getting mealy, but I add it later with cashews and brazil nuts, for example. The salt and sweetener I usually mix in at the end, with a rubber spatula. I like using slightly course sea salt, and I don't want it smashed up too fine, so I add it at the end. But play around and experiment! It's fun.

[iyc_nyc]

awesome, can't wait to try! thanks for sharing..

[mattstolz]

five minutes is less time than it takes my food pro! haha what kind of consistency do ya get and what kind of ratio do you use of added fat:nuts?

[Nablusiya]

The texture isn't as smooth as what you would get in a food processor, but I like it a little chunky. It depends on your energy level, though--ten minutes of pounding will give you a smoother texture than five minutes of pounding. The only thing that bothers me is that my mortar-and-pestle is quite small, so I can only make small batches at at time. That guarantees that it's always fresh, though--I make it once a week or so. The amount of oil depends on the texture you want, and on the amount of oil in the nuts you're using. I used to be conservative about the amount of oil I used, but now I just add it until I'm happy with the texture--I figure however much I add is less than the oil and preservatives that they would add in a factory.

[TroyTempest]

get some plantains and make some mofongo.

[jcisn]

I have three so far. A Thai granite, a molcajete and a small ceramic.
I use the them all. The ceramic is used mainly for grinding small amounts of spice
such a saffon, The Thai granite is my big masher, works great for pounding rock
hard lumps of piloncillo, palm sugar or jaggery to a powder. Thai curry pastes.
The molcajete is my main mortar scooter,I use it for grinding spices, making salsas,
mashing and grinding garlic and peppers.
I use my mortars more than I use my blender or food processor.
A salsa always tastes better if done in a molcajete rather than a blender.

[grayelf]

I have mini volcanic stone mortars that nest, perfect for grinding up small amounts of spices as mentioned multiple times. But my favourite use is to convert whole dried chiles into chile flakes for recipes calling for specific varieties.

[gilintx]

Whenever I make Spanish rice, I reach for my molcajete. A clove of garlic, a few peppercorns, a pinch of cumin get ground into a paste, then I add tomato (canned or sauce, depending on what I have on hand), and a touch of salt. Once that's been mixed together, I toast some rice, add the puree, some water, and a few whole stems of cilantro.

[BKK Brendan]

The main thing I use one for is guacamole, but I also use it for grinding peppercorns. Very nice for a pepper crusted fish.

[DWB]

Conditioning a M&P with raw rice sounds like a Molcajete, which will usually stay more coarse even after much usage. My smoother marble M&P is used more for pounding dried shrimp into a fluffy luscious addition to pad thai.

[jmckee]

I make a lot of herbal marinades and dressings in mine. I also grind the cat's pill in a small one so I can hide it in her canned food.

Looking forward to making my first Aioli in the big one later this summer.

[scubadoo97]

I use mine a lot for pounding garlic into a paste.

I just used my small onyx one to make a homemade Cesar dressing.

[Isolda]

Grinding spices, gettting the pods off cardamom seeds so they can be ground, removing garlic peel (just one thwack does it), grinding garlic and salt together, basically doing anything that requires pulverizing small quantities. (I have a small granite and a small marble M&P)

[tcamp]

I have a small, smooth interior M&P. Not really sure what it is made of. I use it for grinding spices exclusively.

I've lusted after a stone molcajete for several years but haven't purchased due to lack of kitchen space. This thread might push me over the cliffs of indecision, however.

[HillJ]

To add to an already useful list

cocoa nibs to split into smaller pieces
coffee beans to use in baked goods
cinnamon bark to break and use in dishes
to mash ginger root
to mash lemongrass

[FoodFuser]

I've got four, ranging in sizes, but the one I use most is the 5 dollar ceramic model from the chemistry lab. Palm sized, both hands get into the action.

I buy spices as seeds whenever possible, and a quick trip through the mortar bruises or pulverizes them. Also, there is therapeutic fun in grinding down sea salt to the soft fineness of popcorn salt. Adds an extra element to watching TV.

Larger one (Thai, marble) is essential for guacamole. Coriander leaves that are crushed by the pestle, and onions pulverized to get to their cell walls. Far superior to chopped.. Cleans easily with plastic scraper.

[JungMann]

A mortar and pestle is essential for getting the right texture to toasted rice flour. As someone who often cooks for one, I find the mortar and pestle essential for pulverizing small amounts of spices for single serving curries or mashing garlic for raw applications like tzatziki or guacamole. It's also quite useful for cracking cardamom pods.

[exvaxman]

To be honest, I dehydrate a lot of spice mixes. The food processor can burn what I am trying to create. So I try and make sure that the mortar is used for the expensive spices....

[meatn3]

I use it for crushing capers for tartar sauce, garlic for rubs in addition to salt, herbs and spices.
I find it quicker to use and easier to clean than a food processor, especially for small quantities.

[Maximilien]

mostly salt, I buy coarse grey salt and pound it down to finer powder for normal usage.

other use is for spice and herbs.

[rabaja]

This is a great tip. A woman I work with does this. The grey salt is so nice to work with and when it's fine it's uses really open up.

[JB BANNISTER]

I just finished making green sea salt. I pounded and ground green tea and sea salt. I normally use it to pound spices including peppercorns.

[nutmegananne]

Green tea sea salt? Sounds wonderful!! Please tell me...you use coarse sea salt and...loose green tea leaves, I guess? What do you like to use it on?

Thanks :)

[Duppie]

I collect them and now have 14 ranging from a 18 lb monster from the Philippines to a tiny porcelain number that was used to pulverize pills. My favorites are used constantly to make pastes,crush herbs,seeds and dry seasonings.I have one I use just to crush Alka Seltzer tablets.

[nutmegananne]

14 M&P!! How cool. :)

[rabaja]

I use mine most often to pound garlic and spices. I have two, a marble medium sized one which I'm always grabbing and a larger one I lugged home from South America with a wooden pestle that is really like a piece of art to me. It doesn't get as much use, but it works hard sitting there looking pretty, with bay leaves and garlic and thyme sitting in its generous bowl.
I also will pound cardamom and lavender when I'm making sweets, and I keep thinking I should buy another one and designate it for pastry. So far the garlic smell hasn't stuck, but I'm sure one neglectful washing will tarnish a batch of caramels.
I love using the m&p. So satisfying.

[nutmegananne]

pumpkin seed pesto sounds amazing...

[chefathome]

It is incredible. You grind pumpkin seeds and use pumpkin seed oil instead of olive oil. The rest if the same as traditional basil pesto.

[jkling17]

Pumpkin seed pesto .... mmmm. THANK you for posting this. I'll pick up some pumpkin oil this weekend - that sounds just GREAT.

I've always wanted a mortar and pestle but have just never got around to it. And yes, there are times when I'm making my own curry that I wish that I did have one!

I think for me that I'd rather have a small dedicated spice grinder. Either one of those inexpensive blade models or perhaps one of those new designs for manual grinding - they are often listen as pollen grinders and are readily available in metal for only $10-15.

[chefathome]

I have three different ones but definitely love my huge 17 lb granite M&P best. I, too, use it for all kinds of pesto (arugula, basil, mint, rosemary, pumpkin seed, sundried tomato); sauces; grinding spices. I also use it for aioli, making mustard and so on.

Mine sits out on the counter as I use it so often. I practically treat it like a child! :-P

[Chowrin]

cardamom.

[bagelman01]

I don't have a granit one, mine is brass and belonged to my great granmother....
We use it to pulverize nuts into a meal consistency. We also use it to turn matzo into matzo meal.

[nutmegananne]

Hey, so I could make almond meal at home...great idea!! Thank you :)

[ferret]

You can also easily do it in a food processor.