The best kitchen tools include mortar and pestle. It is handy when preparing your own spice mixes and using spices in cooking. It can be used to grind curry-related spices. You can use mortar and pestle to blend sauces and marinades or to create your own personal spice blends. There are different types, sizes and shapes of this kitchen tool. Before you begin crushing ingredients, you must first learn how to season a new mortar and pestle.
Why season it?
Natural stone mortar and pestle, Image Source: Pexels
Undoubtedly one of the early discoveries in culinary art was smashing things. As a result, every culture uses a specific type of mortar and pestle. Smooth materials like marble or copper, used to make mortar and pestles, won't need extra maintenance. To maximise the potential of a natural stone mortar and pestle, such as one made of granite or volcanic rock, there are a few things to take. Before using it, it needs to be well-cured or seasoned. This will cause your brand-new mortar and pestle to appear a little smoother and darker, which is what you want.
Rice, garlic, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper are frequently used in curing and seasoning the tool. Garlic serves as a tasty adhesive to remove sand and small particles of rock from the porous surface while the hard rice pieces scrub down the area. Last but not least, cumin, salt, and pepper aid in correctly sanding the surface.
Seasoning a granite mortar and pestle
- Scrub the new mortar and pestle in the sink to eliminate any manufacturing residue that may still be present. Allow it to air dry in a breezy area.
- When your mortar is clean and dry, fill the bottom with rice; depending on the size of your mortar, this will take up around half a cup. Grind the grains vigorously, reaching to the mortar's sides. The rice will appear darker when the minute particles leave the mortar's surface and fall to the ground. Continue until the rice flour is entirely white.
Both dry and wet herbs & spices pounding, Image Source: Pexels
Once the mortar has been thoroughly scrubbed with rice, it is time to add the aromatics.
- Place around 5 peeled garlic cloves in the mortar after emptying it. Grind a teaspoon each of rock salt, black pepper seeds, and cumin seeds until you have a smooth, homogenous mixture made of garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- This paste contains smaller natural stone bits, so don't even consider using it in a meal.
Your mortar should be washed under running water and let to air dry. Once it is seasoned following these methods, it performs better and enhances the flavours of ingredients smashed into it.
