When I heard the word "mortar" I immediately thought of that heavy, ceramic bowl painted in yellow and green tones that my mother always had in the kitchen, with its beautiful traditional wooden pestle. It is curious how this vision of the mortar as a traditional or old-fashioned utensil is completely outdated , since the mortar has fortunately become a basic item in the modern kitchen .
Since we have had the Mortars section in the store, we have not stopped receiving fantastic opinions and comments about their uses and applications from all of you who use them, but doubts also arise. So that is why we are making this post, to talk about the uses of mortars and how to choose the one that best suits you according to the use you want to give it.
We all love to experiment and certainly add flavour to recipes! And here is its main function: the mortar is a gateway to authenticity in the kitchen and allows you to grind spices to bring out all their flavour, or make pastes and sauces to season, marinate or accompany all kinds of dishes.
What is a kitchen mortar used for?
A mortar and pestle in the kitchen gives you a lot of room to play and brings great benefits to the results of your recipes! Here are some of the main uses in the kitchen:
1. Extraction of flavors and aromas from spices and herbs
One of the most common uses of the mortar is to crush spices and herbs, which allows you to release their essential oils. This way you can intensify their flavours and aromas. In addition, unlike mechanical grinding (with electric devices), the mortar does not heat the spices, so they retain their freshness and potency better . For this use, simply add the pepper, herbs, cloves... the spices whose flavour you want to enhance to the mortar (without adding any liquid), and crush them with the pestle. You will see that as you open the shells or release the juice from the herbs, much more of their aroma is released in your recipes.
2. Preparation of pestos and sauces (control over texture)
With a mortar and pestle, you have complete control over the texture of what you're making, from a coarse grind to a smooth paste. So if you're adding ingredients to make certain pestos, sauces or curry pastes where a specific consistency is crucial, you'll be able to perfectly control how you want to grind it. Plus, as before, you won't heat up the mixture unnecessarily, you won't oxidise the food and you'll get much more out of the ingredients' aroma.
3. Perfect for crushing or mashing
Not just herbs and spices: you can crush or grind garlic in a mortar and use all the flavour in your sauces or pour it directly into the pan or tray in which you cook, or you can crush nuts, from walnuts to hazelnuts, either for your sauces or to pour into your mixtures or recipes. You will find that the pestles and the shape of the mortars make the action much easier.
Other benefits of mortars
- Use them for more things! You won't use your mortar and pestle every day, but most modern mortars and pestles have a deep design and shape, perfect for use as a salt shaker in the kitchen, a sugar bowl to hold a few jars at tea time, or a bowl to present a sauce for dipping or serving at the table. They are generally very easy to clean and look pretty, so we should use them regularly.
- With a mortar you can prepare home remedies or natural cosmetics .
- It motivates you to cook healthy food : By using a mortar and pestle, you are more likely to prepare meals from scratch, using whole, natural ingredients. This encourages you to cook healthier food, free of preservatives and chemical additives found in many processed foods.
- Many mortars have an attractive design and can serve as a decorative piece when not in use.
- What I'm about to tell you may not resonate with you, but I think the process of pounding and grinding in a mortar can be, and I mean, therapeutic . The repetition and physical effort involved helps you focus on the present moment, which can be a form of active meditation and stress reduction. When you try it, let me know if it works for you too!
Types of kitchen mortars: what each one is ideal for
There is no best kitchen mortar, but there are some that are more suitable than others depending on what you are going to prepare : depending on the material and shape, it will help you more and better in one use or another. Below I will tell you about the main types of mortars that can be found and that can be used by both an individual and a professional , to help you discover which one is ideal for your culinary needs.
1. Ceramic Mortars: Ceramic mortars, with their smooth, non-porous surface, are perfect for preparing herbs and mild spices . They allow you to grind delicately, and their smooth surface prevents the absorption of flavors and odors, keeping your ingredients and preparations fresh and with their pure flavor (without being contaminated by other or old aromas). They are ideal for making pesto, guacamole or sauces where a finer, smoother texture is desired.
The most representative in this category would be:
- The traditional Emile Henry mortar , with a remarkable capacity and its rough ceramic interior, helps you extract the juice from spices and efficiently prepare all kinds of sauces.
- The Berghoff mortar is a great unknown here, but of notable renown in other countries: not only is it practical and ergonomic, but its design, Awarded the IF Design Award in 2017 , it is designed to preserve all the aroma of your preparations - it has an additional lid to preserve the aroma for longer.
- Berghoff Wide Mouth Mortar - If you plan to crush a large quantity of nuts or prepare a large amount of sauce, this is certainly ideal thanks to the width of its pestle.
- The Le Creuset mortar , beautiful and of quality, although with a smaller capacity and small pestle, is ideal if you only want to grind spices or prepare sauces in smaller quantities. It is so beautiful that you can also use it as a sugar bowl or sauce boat on a regular basis.
2. Granite Mortars: Sturdy and versatile, these may be the ones that are gaining the most popularity. If you're looking for durability and efficiency, and want to leave aside the traditionality of ceramic, granite is your best option. Granite mortars are ideal for crushing hard spices like black pepper or cumin , releasing their essential oils and aromas effortlessly. They're also great for making curry pastes and other mixtures that require more vigorous grinding . Thanks to their surface, they also tend to be very suitable for small seeds like chia , as they don't slip and can be ground well. One of the top exponents in this area is the modern and effective Zwilling granite mortar , which combines granite with a stable and elegant stainless steel base, which elevates it for comfortable working.
3. Cast Iron Mortars: For the Most Intense Flavors. These mortars are great for grinding roasted seeds and grains . They are especially good for cuisines that rely on bold, deep flavors, such as Indian or Mexican cooking, or that may require making dense spice pastes . Because of the roughness of the iron, it is also great for helping to crush small spices like chia seeds.
Although heavy, these mortars can last a lifetime if properly cared for (remember to dry them after contact with water). The most popular example of these iron mortars today is the one from Affari of Sweden , available in two sizes and with an authentic look.
Affari of Sweden cast iron mortar
4. Marble mortars: Elegant and efficient. Marble is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional for use in mortars. With its smooth yet durable surface, marble mortar is ideal for grinding pepper, herbs and making sauces such as aioli. The weight and size of rather large marble mortars may have influenced their decreasing presence in today's (small and space-constrained!) kitchens, but marble had the advantage that its greater weight provided more efficient grinding over other mortars.
5. Wooden Mortars: Smooth and natural. Wooden mortars are less common but ideal for tasks that require less force, such as crushing fresh herb leaves or making guacamole. Their smooth surface prevents the herbs from being broken up too much, allowing the essential oils to remain intact.
NOTE ON MORTAR HANDS:
Many traditional pestles are made of wood, but nowadays they tend to be made of the material that the mortar is made of. The weight of the pestle will largely determine the effectiveness of the utensil: although you may think that heavy mortars are more tedious to use, the heavier the pestle, the more you will appreciate it , because that weight helps you with the chopping or crushing force, and you will save a lot of time if the pestle is heavy, especially when crushing nuts or spices.
NOTE ON SMALL SEEDS, LIKE CHIA
Many of you ask us which mortar can be used for chia , because it is so small that it slips in many mortars. The answer is that you are interested in a mortar with a rough surface, and for this a granite one, or one like the Emile Henry ceramic one but with a rough interior, will help you to be able to grind it without it escaping.
I encourage you to look at the mortars in the store and choose based on the use you will most often give them - without forgetting that you may fall in love with one, because you will find them beautiful. But they are an investment that is worth it: if you take care of them, they will last a lifetime (while adding flavor!).
