Last week I watched a chef expertly assemble a magnificent looking fish curry on television – a gorgeous blend of fresh spices and fish in a steaming coconut broth. That was when the inspiration hit me – “that dish looks amazing, I’m going to make it. Oh yes”.
The only problem was that the chef on TV used a mortar and pestle to grind spices, crush garlic, and pound lemongrass, and I don’t have one. For a moment I considered using my food processor or finely chopping with my chef’s knife, but the fact is that there really is very little that can do everything that a mortar and pestle can do.
So I decided to buy one.
However, like most things these days there are a wide and varied number of different mortar and pestle sets available and I wanted to be sure to buy the right one. This led to some hardcore Googling to do some research. What I learnt is that different mortar and pestle sets are suited for different tasks.
To save you from having to spend your time researching on the web when you could otherwise be grinding up a storm in the kitchen, below is a quick summary of what you need to know when buying a mortar and pestle:
Why you need a Mortar and Pestle
The mortar and pestle has been around since the beginning of time yet today it is still used by top chefs and the design is largely unchanged. The reason that a mortar and pestle set is so loved is its unmatched ability to grind, bruise, smash, and paste, but with a level of control. Because of this, it’s possible to create textures with a mortar and pestle that would be impossible to replicate with a modern electric appliance.
A good example of this is basil pesto. With a mortar and pesto you can create a fine paste but with a gorgeous distribution of irregular sized chunks of pine nuts throughout. The same pesto made in an electric gadget would be much more regular in consistency and not anywhere near as interesting.
The different types of Mortar and Pestle
There are ultimately three things that differentiate mortar and pestle sets – their size, shape, and the material they are made from. Each of these variables relates to the sort of task you want your mortar and pestle to do. Perhaps you want a high-sided mortar with a very hard pestle to grind spices to powder? Or maybe you would get more use out of a larger, shallower mortar that can be used to make guacamole or other and other things that need greater volume?
A mortar and pestle can be made from a variety of materials –ranging from relatively soft and porous materials such as wood, through to practically indestructible granite. Again, the type of material used to make the mortar and pestle is dependent on what you will use it for.
Here are the most common types of mortar and pestle and their uses:
Granite Mortar and Pestle
A granite mortar and pestle is generally the best at dealing with very hard spices such as Szechuan pepper, cumin seed, fenugreek, or coriander seed.
When grinding spices the generally accepted rule is the heavier the mortar and pestle, the easier it is to crush and grind.
A heavy stone mortar and pestle can make short work of even the hardest spices, and its weight means it stays steady and secure even if you really give it some punishment.
Marble Mortar and Pestle
Like granite, a marble mortar and pestle is also very hard and is best suited for crushing and grinding spices. However, marble is also somewhat porous so you may find that your mortar and pestle retains a faint taste of the ingredients you are crushing. This is not such a problem if you are generally crushing strong flavoured ingredients as those ingredients will cover any taint. However if you wanted to use your marble mortar and pestle to crush toasted almonds for a dessert for example, a lingering taste of cumin might give your dessert a ‘unique’ flavour.
When buying a marble mortar and pestle, be sure you don’t buy that has a polished interior as this limits its grinding effectiveness.
Mexican Mortar and Pestle – the Molcajete
A molcajete is a traditional Mexican mortar and pestles made from rough textured pitted stone. Molcajetes tend to be wider and shallower than other mortar and pestles and they are fantastic for grinding and pulverising foods in large amounts. They can handle hard grain and spices, as well as softer items such as avocadoes when making guacamole.
Because a molcajete is generally quite shallow, if you are looking to crush hard spices then be aware that pounding the spices, especially round ones such as coriander seed and peppercorns may result in the spices flying around your kitchen. Instead, try to use a slow circular grinding action and you will achieve the desired result without the mess.
Ceramic Mortar and Pestle
A ceramic mortar and pestle is great for grinding small amounts of spices, or ingredients that don’t require a large amount of pressure like herbs or garlic. Ceramic mortar and pestles don’t absorb flavours or smells and you can even wash them in your dishwasher. You can fins ceramic mortar and pestle sets that range from small 3 inch sets that are great for delicate spices such as saffron, through to mid size 5 inch sets that are good for all-round use.
Wood Mortar and Pestle 
Wood mortar and pestle sets are generally only used for soft and wet ingredients such as when making pesto or pastes, or for bruising herbs. Compared to other mortar and pestle varieties, wood is comparatively soft and isn’t suited to hard ingredients.
Because wood is porous you will also find that string flavours such as garlic will permeate the wood and linger. If you plan to use your wood mortar and pestle for one type of food only then this shouldn’t be much of an issue. Otherwise, you may want to choose a ceramic or granite mortar and pestle instead.
Where to get the best deal on a Mortar and Pestle set
The first thing to note is that a mortar and pestle is heavy! As luck has it, the best range and prices can generally be found online and if you buy a mortar and pestle on Amazon.com you get free shipping when you spend over $25. (You don’t need to spend $25 just on the mortar and pestle – if you buy multiple items in one transaction and the total is over $25, then you get free shipping for all items)
A further major benefit of buying through Amazon.com is that you can read the reviews and feedback placed by others who have already bought the mortar and pestle. This feedback is great because you get a true sense of how the item works in the real world.
I ultimately bought a granite mortar and pestle, and so far it’s been great – it does everything I want it to do (and I can now make pretty darn good Thai fish curry). However, I can already see how useful it would be to have a couple of different sets and I’m very tempted to buy a Molcajete before the summer arrives!