How to use a pestle and mortar

African spice recipe that makes full use of your pestle and mortar. Use a mortar and pestle to grind and mix spices, crush herbs and nuts.

The mortar and pestle are one of the oldest most recognized pharmacy and kitchen tool used throughout the world.

African spice recipe that makes full use of your pestle and mortar.

The mortar and pestle is a kitchen gadget that was found in every urban and rural African kitchen. However, emerging technology in the African food culture is threatening the once commonplace mortars and pestles of old. Mortars and pestles were once used to husk and dehull grain but village electric grain mills are slowly replacing the hand labor intensive mortars and pestles.

There are many recipes where hand mixing and grinding with a mortar and pestle put the consistency of the mixing and grinding in your hands. Place ingredients in the mortar or bowl portion, using the pestle end slowly move the rounded pestle end against the mortar to grind. In order to pound, move the pestle up and down rhythmically to the desired consistency. 

The town of Sévaré aka Sevare is near Mali's border. In the town of Sévaré, a daughter helps her mother prepare a meal by pounding onions in a wooden mortar.

To the left is a charcoal stove for cooking along with a container for water and a plate of red pepper. To the right are two traditional earthen jars for water as well as plastic buckets for washing the dishes.

Typical meals in Mali consist of some kind of starch, rice or pounded millet, along with a sauce, which can be leafy green or more like gravy. Sometimes the meals may include a little meat.

African spice recipe that makes full use of your pestle and mortar.

All-Purpose Blazing Seasoning Salt.

Ingredients

¼ cup garlic salt

1 tablespoon of sea salt

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon cardamom seeds

¼ cup dried onion

2 whole allspice berries

2 dried bay leaves

1 ghost chili pod

 

Directions

In the mortar, place allspice, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cardamom seeds grind with the pestle to the desired consistency. Add remaining ingredients to the mortar and mix well. Store in an airtight container store away from heat and light. Do not store spices in the refrigerator.

Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

1. Historical African country names
2. Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa
3. How many countries does Africa have?
4. Paying Money To Tour Slums in Africa
5. What Is the Wettest Country in Africa
6. Land is Not For Women in Sierra Leone
7. African Kente Cloth Facts
8. Where is Shashamane Ethiopia the African Rastafarian Promised Land