How to Grind Roots & Herbs

Grind herbs and roots to a small consistency with a mortar and pestle.

Grinding herbs and roots for use in recipes can be done with a mortar and pestle. The mortar and pestle are traditional kitchen tools that have been around since ancient times to crush, grind and mix ingredients. A mortar is a small bowl, typically made of a nonabsorbent material such as marble, ceramic, granite, iron or porcelain. The pestle is a handheld tool with a rounded tip used to grind items in the mortar bowl. Mortar and pestle sets are a viable alternative to using an electric grinder because the scents and flavors of herbs and roots are better preserved. Does this Spark an idea?

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Cutting board
Mezzaluna
Mortar and pestle set

Instructions

- 1
  
  Place leaves or roots of herbs on a cutting board and chop them into small pieces using a mezzaluna. A mezzaluna is a handheld chopping blade, with a curved edge that you rock back and forth so you can cut items quickly without lifting the blade. You can choose to cut on a regular cutting board, or use a mezzaluna cutting bowl with a concave surface. Rock the mezzaluna over the herbs and roots to cut them to a small size that will fit in your mortar.
- 2
  
  Place the chopped pieces of herb leaves or roots into the mortar. Fill the mortar about one-third to one-half full to leave enough room in the mortar to move the chopped items around.
- 3
  
  Grind the herbs or roots in the mortar using the pestle tool. Press the rounded tip of the pestle onto the ingredients and apply pressure while you roll and twist the tool to grind. Use your favored hand to hold the pestle, and turn the mortar in the other hand as you grind. This will ensure that you grind the ingredients to an even consistency.

Tips & Warnings

Some roots are difficult to grind by hand, such as ginger and turmeric. Cut these roots into small pieces first and grind them in small amounts.
Avoid using a wood mortar and pestle for grinding roots or very oily herbs. Wood will absorb the smell and flavor of these items.
Mortar and pestle sets come in various sizes, including large bowls for grinding large quantities to very tiny bowls for crushing enough for a single use.
You can purchase mortar and pestle sets, as well as mezzalunas, in the kitchen accessory departments in stores.