Granite Pestle and Mortar or something else/electric?

[Mr Badger]

My main method of reducing ingredients to tiny bits/paste is to chop them up with a chef knife and if necessary stick them in the food processor. However, this doesn't really work for small quantities e.g. if I want to make a bit of fresh garlic and ginger paste or some curry paste to marinade a piece of chicken.

For some reason I don't seem to have ever owned or used a pestle and mortar. Is the solution and if so my Google results suggest that granite ones are the best. Is this the way?

Or should I be looking at some sort of small spice grinder or blender?

 

[rgrocott]

For some reason I don't seem to have ever owned or used a pestle and mortar. Is the solution and if so my Google results suggest that granite ones are the best. Is this the way?

This is the way.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Get a big one

I have a small and could do with a big one. Even if you are doing small quantities it's just at easier in a big one.




.....oh god the innuendos.......

 

[Mr Badger]

Get a big one

I have a small and could do with a big one. Even if you are doing small quantities it's just at easier in a big one.




.....oh god the innuendos.......

A big one sounds like it will fill the need, but will it make my wrist get tired?

 

[Siliconslave]

A big one sounds like it will fill the need, but will it make my wrist get tired?

Theres something satisfying about having a big one and it certainly gets the job done quickly when your really pounding it, but can be a bit of a strain on the wrist so case try changing hands half way through.

Its also worth putting a tea towel under the mortar so you don't scratch your work surface when your going to town

 

[tom_nieto]

Theres something satisfying about having a big one and it certainly gets the job done quickly when your really pounding it, but can be a bit of a strain on the wrist so case try changing hands half way through.

Its also worth putting a tea towel under the mortar so you don't scratch your work surface when your going to town

I often find it’s worth putting a towel down when you’re really pounding away with a big one.

 

[Mr Badger]

OK, you guys have painted a graphic picture of what I need.

Can you just clarify whether you prefer to use any oil, or do you go in dry for the big pounding?

 

[jpaul]

If it's a small quantity of just 2/3 garlic cloves say, I grate that directly into the hot pan(or marinade dish) and use finger to wipe & clean remains off grater ..
if you were using a pestle, you'd be wasting it on the pestle&mortar which you can't clean out to the same degree, same for ginger

 

[Rotty]

as above get a big one and not a cheap one, rubbish ones can have pieces chip off or they crack

 

[img]

Go deep as well as big otherwise stuff will shoot out

 

[SPG]

After 2 weeks it will sit at back the door unused, and it's a great place for keeping your backdoor keys, shed garage etc

 

[dlockers]

My main method of reducing ingredients to tiny bits/paste is to chop them up with a chef knife and if necessary stick them in the food processor. However, this doesn't really work for small quantities e.g. if I want to make a bit of fresh garlic and ginger paste or some curry paste to marinade a piece of chicken.

For some reason I don't seem to have ever owned or used a pestle and mortar. Is the solution and if so my Google results suggest that granite ones are the best. Is this the way?

Or should I be looking at some sort of small spice grinder or blender?

I used to sell a crazy amount of these to Bangladeshi families:

kenwood bl440 - Google Search

So many I remember the model number. The little grinder mill - they seemed to be peak for grinding spices for curry pastes etc.

I don't know what model replaced it, but that's my shout for pastes.

Granite pestle and mortars are too much work for pastes.

 

[Platinum Pete]

Decent sized Granite p&m is great for quick go to for pastes and spices and much less hassle to setup clean and put away than a food processor in my opinion.

 

[Platinum Pete]

As long as you don't care too much about homogeneity and can cope with the weight/ anxiety about breaking the work top or your toes with accidental drops I should add

 

[aVdub]

I've gone the opposite way and now use a Ninja hand blitzer for everything, including curry bases.

See Stein a while ago mention that no Indian kitchen would be without its electric spice blender.

 

[Scam]

Our friends bought us a molcajete as a house warming present. I think it's great; https://www.souschef.co.uk/products...ete is a Mexican,herbs and spices into pastes.

It's great for making guacamole the proper way (yes you can taste the difference!) and serving it up in the molcajete itself looks impressive. Does the job for other curry pastes etc although it is flippin' heavy to wash up!