How to Season a Mortar and Pestle: Basics of the Kitchen Tool

A mortar and pestle is a kitchen tool; its original use was a means of grinding grain. The mortar is a deep bowl, while the pestle is a rounded, handheld utensil for grinding and smashing ingredients. Mortar and pestles use sturdy materials, such as stone, ceramic, metal, or wood.

Across the globe, different cultures use a mortar and pestle to grind spices, create marinades, and intensify flavors. Italian pesto sauce, Thai curry paste, Mexican guacamole, and West African fufu are all signature dishes that require a mortar and pestle to combine ingredients. Also, those who practice herbal medicine use mortar and pestles to grind and mix different herbs.

Mortar and pestles vary in terms of materials. Common types of mortar and pestles include:

1. 1. Ceramic: Common across Europe, the ceramic mortar and pestle is ideal for grinding dry and liquid ingredients together. Since ceramic is more prone to breaking, it’s not as durable as other types of mortar and pestles.
   
2. 2. Marble: The marble mortar and pestle is a type of stone cookware with excellent durability. As a nonporous material, marble serves as a strong base for pounding fresh herbs and cracking peppercorns.
3. 3. Molcajete: Consisting of porous volcanic rock, a molcajete is a type of mortar and pestle from Mexico. Unlike other types of mortar and pestles, the molcajete stands on three legs. When you combine ingredients in a molcajete, the result is a chunky consistency that’s perfect for making recipes like guacamole and salsa.
4. 4. Suribachi: A Japanese-style mortar and pestle, a suribachi consists of pottery and wood. The mortar is a pottery bowl with ridges on the inside, and the pestle is typically wooden to prevent wear on the pottery. The ridges inside the mortar help grind ingredients, such as sesame seeds, into a fine powder you can use for seasoning rice and tofu.
5. 5. Thai granite: Like a marble mortar and pestle, a Thai granite mortar has a smooth, long-lasting surface that makes cleaning easy. The Thai granite mortar and pestle set has a surface that works well as a spice grinder. Use it to crush wet or dry ingredients—such as garlic cloves, lemongrass, cumin seeds, and dried chilies—to enhance the aroma and spice level of a dish.

The porous surface of some mortar and pestle sets requires seasoning to prevent rock and dirt pieces from splintering off the stone and into your food. Use this seasoning process to prep your mortar and pestle set the first time you use it:

• Rinse the mortar and pestle with water. Run your mortar and pestle under warm water to remove any dust and dirt. Use only water to gently clean your mortar and pestle since soap would enter the porous surface of the rock, where its scent would become trapped.
• Grind rice and water. Add a small handful of white rice to your mortar, about three tablespoons, so the bottom of the mortar has a thin layer of rice. Mix in one tablespoon of water and start grinding the rice. White rice works best since it’s easiest to spot the grit falling off the mortar and into the rice. Grip the pestle with one hand and use circular motions to grind the mixture until the rice is a powdery consistency or for about five to eight minutes.
• Rinse and repeat. Continue the process of soaking the mortar in water and then grinding white rice until the rice mixture no longer collects dirt. It might take multiple repetitions of rinsing and grinding before the crushed rice remains white.
• Air-dry the mortar and pestle. Scoop out the rice mixture and rinse your mortar and pestle one last time. Set it aside to air-dry before using it for cooking.

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