Why Did You Need To Season Mortar And Pestle With Garlic?

Most people who own a mortar and pestle season it with spices like garlic to give it a nice smell, since it is going to be used in the kitchen to make dishes, so they should get ahead of the curve and give it a little kick.

If you are thinking about getting one of these and you want to learn more about seasoning your mortar and pestle, there are a lot of other reasons.

If you own one of the popular mortar and pestles, then this is for you, if you don’t, you should.

Reasons

To Make It Aromatic

Whether you are used to it or not, garlic makes food delicious and also has a unique aroma that takes your food up a couple of levels.

When you season your mortar and pestle with garlic, the smell gets infused in every corner of the mortar and as you use it to prepare food, the aroma is amazing!

If you like garlic in your meals, then you should always season your mortar and pestle with them.

Garlic Has Antimicrobial Properties

The antimicrobial attributes of garlic are harnessed to help stave off bacteria from the mortar and pestle, which is one of the most fascinating reasons for the garlic application.

When you don’t dry your mortar and pestle properly, mold may begin to occur, and this applies to your mortar and pestle because bacteria thrive in humid and wet environments and this applies to your mortar and pestle because we tend to wash them after use.

The garlic seasoning process helps reduce the risk, imbibing bacteria has some health risk, which includes, but is not limited to Stomach upset.

To Make It Non-stick

People season their mortar and pestle with garlic to make it silky smooth so when you use it to grind it doesn’t allow food substances to stick to the surface, the oils in garlic are what act as the sort of lubricant for the mortar and pestle.

A similar concept is applied when you grease a pan or baking tray to make it non-stick, the only difference is that garlic is used.

It gets very annoying when the spices stick to the mortar, so you should grease your mortar and pestle.

To Clog Pores

The granite is a stone so there are usually pores in the mortar and pestle.

When spices find their way into these pores, they tend to begin to break down the surface and make it crumble, and this is because you can’t get your dry spices stuck in them.

Garlic can be used as a buffer for these spices.

Helps Prevent Grit and Particles

When you purchase granite mortar and pestle, you have to cure them to remove all the dust and particles to make them smooth.

The results are worth the stress because if you use it as is, you will end up with spices full of small pebbles. Do you remember biting into a stone in your food before?

It was not pleasant at all. There is no written rule that it has to be garlic, but the curing and seasoning process helps keep this from happening.

Garlic has advantages over other spices, which makes it the most ideal.

What Happens When You Don’t Season Mortar and Pestle?

It isn’t safe to grind granite as it can be harmful to your health, and the taste of your food will be greatly affected when all is said and done.

If you are using granite and mortar, the process may be a bit tedious but it is necessary.

How Can I Season Mortar and Pestle?

If you own a granite mortar and pestle or are thinking about getting one, know that you would have to cure and season it before it becomes fully functional.

Wash and Rinse

When you get your new mortar and pestle, the first thing you should do is wash and rinse it, it is a newly carved piece of stone, there is bound to be dust in it, however, never use soap. Water and a sponge are all that is needed.

Put Dry Rice

If you want to fill it with rice, just get some dry rice and put it in the mortar, just enough that it covers the base a little. The only thing you need is a small amount of it.

Grind Until Powder

Take the pestle and use it to grind the rice in the mortar, this part is when things get a bit chaotic, keep pounding until the rice becomes a powder, and make a circular motion in the mortar with the pestle to reach every surface area in it, you can optionally add

Repeat the Process

When it is done, you will notice that the rice is not white and that the particles from the mortar are dirty.

Remember, no soap, when you pour the rice, rinse the mortar and pestle. If you repeat the process, you will get the same result.

Add Garlic

If your ground rice is now white, you’re on the right track, and you’re ready to move on to the next step after you’ve repeated the rice grinding process several times.

The surface of the mortar and pestle will be much easier to clean than it was when you first started.

If you want to make a paste out of fresh garlic, add it to a food grinder and grind until it becomes a paste, rinse and repeat the process a couple of times.

Now you should be able to use your mortar and pestle.

FAQs

Why Is a Mortar and Pestle Necessary?

You need a mortar and pestle if you want to grind spices, but it is also useful if you don’t have a source of electricity.

Some cuisines insist that you use a mortar and pestle to blend spices or make pesto to make it more authentic.

You get a free arm workout every time you use one of these, so it seems like a win-win to me.

Is It Possible That a Granite Mortar and Pestle Break?

It would take a lot of force, but a granite mortar and pestle can break if not handled correctly.

Since it hardly breaks, you don’t need to keep it at the edge of your kitchen counter for it to fall off, since you know something that breaks pretty easily?

The human bones, especially the ones in your foot, need to be careful with.

Is It Possible to Put Oil in a Mortar and Pestle?

When grinding herbs to make pesto, it is usually included with a small amount of olive oil to make a cohesive paste.

You should rinse it out and scrub it with a sponge after you get the oil out as best you can.

Conclusion

If you worry too much about the labor-intensive process that curing and seasoning a mortar and pestle requires, it will make you miss out on the advantages of owning one of these.

Since you use it to prepare food, it should always be clean and sanitary, and you should season it properly, just because it is sturdy doesn’t mean you should neglect it.