Health benefits of using Mortar and Pestle
Using a mortar and pestle (also known as a motor and pastel in some regions) for grinding spices offers several advantages:
- Enhanced Flavour and Aroma: When you grind spices using a mortar and pestle, you unlock their full potential. The process releases essential oils, intensifying their flavours and aromas. Unlike electric grinders, this manual method allows precise control over the texture, ensuring each spice is ground to the desired consistency.
- Custom Spice Blends: One of the unique benefits is the ability to create custom spice blends. By combining different spices and grinding them together, you can tailor the flavour profile to your personal taste preferences. Whether it’s garam masala, curry powders, or biryani spice mix, the mortar and pestle allow you to experiment and create your own signature blends.
- Preserving Tradition: Using a mortar and pestle connects you to culinary traditions passed down through generations. It’s a technique deeply rooted in Indian cooking, and it adds authenticity to your spice preparation.
- Adjusting Consistency: You have control over how finely or coarsely you grind the spices. Whether you need a fine powder or a slightly coarse texture, the mortar and pestle allow you to achieve the desired consistency.
- No Heat Generation: Unlike electric blenders, the mortar and pestle method doesn’t generate heat during grinding. Heat can alter the taste of spices, but with a silbatta (stone grinder), the natural taste and flavour remain intact.
- Thorough Blending: When you use a silbatta (mortar and pestle), you’re not just grinding; you’re actually blending all the oils and fibres in the herbs and spices together. This results in a more harmonious flavour profile compared to simply cutting the food into fine pieces using an electric blender