Brief History of
the Thai Granite Mortar and Pestle
This sturdy stone Thai mortar and pestle (called Krok Hin in the
Thai language) dates back to the Sukhothai period (the first Thai Kingdom founded in 1238)
when it was one of the few cooking tools used to prepare meals. The Thai meal
consisted of four basic food preparations, "Tom", "Yaang",
"Jim" and "Yum". Translated, Tom (boiled foods) Jim
(dips), Yaang (grilled) and Yum (salads). As with most other cultures
the mortar was used to grind foods as well as medicines.
When we look at the key flavoring ingredients used in Thai cooking, fresh basil, palm
sugar, makrut lime leaf, garlic, fresh ginger and galingale, tamarind, lemon grass as well
as a variety of chilies, coriander and cumin we can see why the use of the mortar and
pestle is key in the preparation of this cuisine.
How
it is used
This product is a very good all-around mortar and pestle and you need not limit it's use
to Thai or Asian cooking. It works well to make pestos and sauces or any ground
mixture.
To use, place the substance to be ground inside the mortar (bowl). Pound the firmer
ingredients with an up and down motion. Grind using a circular motion when adding
finer or liquid ingredients.
The basic concept with using a mortar and pestle to to add a single ingredient at a time
and one ingredient builds on the other forming an eventual well-integrated mixture. The
grinding process releases the oils, and flavor essence of the substance. When done
carefully you will produce a product that is more flavorful than a product prepared in a
food processor.
Note:
Even the smaller version of this mortar and pestle can be very heavy. Make sure to
use it on a sturdy surface and one that can withstand the stress of heavy pounding.
Sizes
This is an overview of the average sizes, weights and uses of the Thai mortar and pestle.
It is not uncommon for the size to vary from shipment to shipment and certainly from one
vendor to another. Just as with any other hand made product of this type, like a
molcajete, anticipate some variance, your 7" may be 6.75 or 7.25! (See About Where They Come From). Color will vary
slightly from very dark green to a slightly lighter green.
| Size |
Weight
(Avg) |
Capacity |
Uses |
| 6" |
7lb |
1 + cup |
Nuts, seeds, chills, herbs |
| 7 - 7.5" |
16 |
2 + cups |
Curries, pastes, sauces,
pestos |
| 8 |
18lb |
3 + cups |
Curries, pastes, sauces,
pestos |
| 9" |
24lb |
5 - 6 + cups |
Curries, pastes, sauces,
pestos |
Selecting
The Right Size
This is going to depend on how much cooking you do, the types of foods you like to
prepare, and how much you can lift! There are many small grinding jobs in day to day
cooking like a bit of garlic, chills, a small handful of herbs. The small version is
very good. It is lighter to deal with when you need to move and clean it.
The larger sizes function well for making sauces, pesto, pastes or any mixture in larger
quantities. The large size gives you some "elbow" room when working.
It also gives you a good work-out moving it around. In most case you don't
need to be lifting it a lot although you may need to take to the sink for cleaning.
Depending on your culinary budget, space and uses you may prefer a small (6") and a
medium-large (7 - 7.5"). If you are a pro, or an aspiring pro, you will want either
the 8" large or the 9" extra-large version.
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