The Mortar & Pestle: A Visual Breakdown

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN BUYING A MORTAR & PESTLE WHICH IS WHICH? PESTLE heavy club-shaped object used for crushing and grinding MORTAR the bowl that holds what is being crushed MATERIALS STONE METAL EARTHENWARE WOOD PROS CONS PROS CONS PROS CONS PROS CONS A hard, Heavy. If Course not properly stone like seasoned, volcanic can add grit. rock (You can provides season by a good pounding grinding dry rice surface for until it spices. comes out The weight white.) of the rock helps Unfinished Brittle, more ceramic has easily traction, broken. which Glazed provides ceramic's a good smooth grinding surface is surface and not ideal for is easier to grinding clean than spices rough stone. (unless it has ridges). Light Holds weight. scent of Best for previously bruising as ground opposed to items. pounding. Smooth surface. Sturdy. Bronze or cast iron should be cleaned with oil instead of water. Smooth surface (unless ridged). crush more Marble is a soft, porous stone and will wear easily. effectively. SIZE At least 5-6 inches in diameter to avoid splash. talagtablaalalalathuuaallalatalalalaalalalalatae HOW OLD IS THE MORTAR AND PESTLE? The oldest preserved medical manuscript, the Egyptian "Papyrus Ebers" circa 1550 B.C.E., mentions the Mortar and Pestle-so does the Old Testament in Numbers 11:8 and Proverbs 27:22. MORTAR AND PESTLES ACROSS CULTURES Pata A thick, rectangular stone slab, 15-16 inches long, with a rough surface, accompanied by a bato, an INDIA oblong stone that can weigh almost 10 pounds. Suribachi + Surikogi An earthenware bowl with ridges on the inside to JAPAN facilitate grinding sesame seeds and spices. Paired with a wooden pestle. Molcajete y Tejolete MEXICO Amortar and pestle shaped out of volcanic rock witha wide bowl and feet. THAILAND Khrok+Saak SENEGAL Gueunnakk Kurr A deep wooden bowl carved from a mango tree. It can be as wide as two feet, allowing two or three people to process millet or rice at the same time. The pestle, also wood, can be four and a half feet long. Traditionally made of either solid granite for pounding curry paste or terracotta with a wooden pestle for lighter work like bruising papaya.