Once upon a time, prior to food processors, stick blenders and all other chopping/blending/pureeing kitchen gizmos, there were mortars and pestles. Yes, my friend – in the days of old, we rolled up our sleeves to pound and grind stuff entirely by hand.
The history of mortars and pestles goes back thousands of years (like,10,000 of ’em) and, amazingly, the design of this essential bit of kit hasn’t really changed. Because if it works, why tinker with a good thing, right? (Except I did when I designed my Marion’s Kitchen mortar and pestle. I made a beautiful beechwood base for it to sit it on so it wouldn’t damage benchtops or move around. And it muffles some of the sound. Just sayin’.)
Need to smoosh up chillies? There’s a mortar and pestle for that.
Why do I need a mortar and pestle anyway?
Simple. Flavour! When you use a mortar and pestle, the manual crushing, grinding and bashing unleashes flavours and aromas far better than a machine can. This is because blades just cut things to bits, which doesn’t release essential oils and flavour compounds the way pounding does.
This isn’t just my pet theory either; it’s actual scientific fact proven by people much smarter than I am. The parts of plants where the flavours lurk are best ruptured, not sliced, to achieve maximum flavour, if that makes sense. So if you use a pestle and mortar, you get fragrant-er curry pastes, zingier pestos and even more pungent-ier crushed garlic than you would using a blender or processor.
Is a mortar and pestle really better than a food processor?
It can be! One benefit is having full control. In a machine it’s easy to overdo things but in a mortar using pestle, you can fully see and feel the perfect texture and consistency. Plus in a mortar you can smoosh up smaller quantities than you can in a processor. Really fibrous, woody ingredients like lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves can damage machine blades, making a mortar a better way to go with these tougher ingredients too (although, either way, you need to chop them up first).
Then, there’s the convenience. I find a food processor a hassle to set up on the bench… and don’t get me started on washing the bowl and other bits. But a mortar and pestle takes up less room, is easy to wash, and looks way better on your benchtop when you’re not using it. There are no moving parts to break either. Your mortar and pestle will probably outlive you!
I’m still on the mortar-and-pestle fence. Convince me.
Chilli paste perfection.
Challenge accepted! A mortar and pestle makes quick work of curry pastes, plus fresh, herby sauces like pesto, salsa verde and chimichurri. It can powder whole spices and mulch garlic and ginger. But did you know you can use it to make flavoured salts and sugars? You just add fresh herbs, citrus zest or maybe chilli to sea salt flakes, pound them up and that’s it. Add lavender, pounded cinnamon sticks or star anise, citrus zest or rosemary to sugar and pound together for a flavoured sprinkle for cakes, desserts or to use on glass rims for cocktails.
So… what else can a mortar and pestle do?
It can make guac! Seriously, forget the food processor: a hand-pounded, chunky guacamole is the ultimate. It’s fast to make and tastes way better than using a processor, plus you can taste and season as you go. Same with hummus, toum (Lebanese garlic sauce) and aioli.
You can mix up compound butters for your steak using pounded herbs and butter, tasty rubs and marinades for barbecues, grills and roasts, and even crush berries for desserts, cake fillings and drinks. Remove garlic skins by bashing the cloves up a bit, then they just slip off. Grind black peppercorns for seasoning (they taste so much better than out of a peppermill), then make an epic dish like Sichuan Salt and Pepper Shrimp. Yep, there are endless things you can do with your mortar and pestle.
Is there an ideal mortar and pestle size or design?
My mortar and pestle ticks all the boxes.
Mortar and pestles come in a variety of sizes and materials (glass, wood, ceramic, stone), although the basic shape and function is the same. It’s good to think about how you’ll use yours when choosing one, and the kinds of volumes you’ll be putting through it. I like mine roomy so it’s more versatile, and I also prefer some heft because a weightier mortar does a quicker, better job. The one I designed is made of granite so it’s incredibly durable (you’ll never need to replace it!) and has deep sides so nothing splatters out. I also made it easy to clean; the last thing you want are curry smells lingering and ruining your lavender sugar or romesco sauce!
Recipes to use your mortar and pestle
So now you’ve had the rundown on using, buying and cleaning a mortar pestle… so there’s only one more topic up for discussion. What to cook next…
Thai Roast Chicken With Spicy Sauce
Does life get any better than a roast chicken? Nope. This version features a sensational sweet-spicy-fragrant marinade and an amazing dipping sauce; your mortar and pestle make short work of both.
Thai Lemongrass Chicken
I’m obsessed with this version of fried chicken! Lemongrass makes it amazingly fragrant and fabulous. And only your mortar and pestle can coax maximum flavour out of it, plus all the other lovely aromatics here.
Som Tum Thai Papaya Salad
This classic northern Thai salad tastes its authentic hot-sour-spicy best when you make it using mortar and pestle. Nothing else gets those flavours mingling so well.
Sichuan Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Use your mortar and pestle to smash up a fragrant Sichuan salt and pepper concoction, the perfect seasoning for my ridiculously crispy fried shrimp.
Thai-Style Grilled Chicken
Make the best marinade for grilled chicken ever, whipped up in minutes using a mortar and pestle. It’s super versatile and you can use it on other grilled meats too.
Nahm Jim Sauce
You NEED a nahm jim recipe in your life; it’s the ultimate dip for any seafood, whether served hot or cold. Your mortar and pestle is your ticket to entry.
