I was out doing some Christmas shopping today. Was in Cost Plus World Market. They had a stainless steel mortar and pestle; the label says "made in India" and the little cardboard label inside the mortar said it was a fixture of Indian cuisine for centuries.
It's not rounded on the bottom; more squared off like a pot. The pestle is heavy stainless and has a conical end that fits in the square of the bottom edge.
I did a web search--all the metal mortars I found are rounded, just like my existing stone one.
Does anyone know about this Indian style and what special uses it would be used for?
Yes, before anyone asks, I bought it (only $10). Can always use another kitchen gadget! And I've got a collection of other stainless steel kitchen tools/toys. But I am curious what I can use it for. I'm assuming for just about anything I'd use the normal stone one for, but are there any special uses?
"PastaLover" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:dr2pf.213$Cw5.106@fed1read05...
Quoted message said:
I was out doing some Christmas shopping today. Was in Cost Plus World Market. They had a stainless steel mortar and pestle; the label says "made in India" and the little cardboard label inside the mortar said it was a fixture of Indian cuisine for centuries.
It's not rounded on the bottom; more squared off like a pot. The pestle is heavy stainless and has a conical end that fits in the square of the bottom edge.
I did a web search--all the metal mortars I found are rounded, just like my existing stone one.
Does anyone know about this Indian style and what special uses it would be used for?
Yes, before anyone asks, I bought it (only $10). Can always use another kitchen gadget! And I've got a collection of other stainless steel kitchen tools/toys. But I am curious what I can use it for. I'm assuming for just about anything I'd use the normal stone one for, but are there any special uses?
I didn't know stainless steel was a common material centuries ago. But anyway.....isn't a mortar supposed to have an interior surface with a matte (not-glossy) surface, so whatever you're grinding doesn't slip away from the pestle?
"PastaLover" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:dr2pf.213$Cw5.106@fed1read05...
Quoted message said:
I was out doing some Christmas shopping today. Was in Cost Plus World Market. They had a stainless steel mortar and pestle; the label says "made in India" and the little cardboard label inside the mortar said it was a fixture of Indian cuisine for centuries.
It's not rounded on the bottom; more squared off like a pot. The pestle is heavy stainless and has a conical end that fits in the square of the bottom edge.
I did a web search--all the metal mortars I found are rounded, just like my existing stone one.
Does anyone know about this Indian style and what special uses it would be used for?
Yes, before anyone asks, I bought it (only $10). Can always use another kitchen gadget! And I've got a collection of other stainless steel kitchen tools/toys. But I am curious what I can use it for. I'm assuming for just about anything I'd use the normal stone one for, but are there any special uses?
I didn't know stainless steel was a common material centuries ago. But anyway.....isn't a mortar supposed to have an interior surface with a matte (not-glossy) surface, so whatever you're grinding doesn't slip away from the pestle?
All I said was what was written on the tag, not that it was correct...
Granted, stainless steel probably hasn't been a common matieral for centuries. And I wondered the same thing about the glossy surface--hence my question. I wondered if it was traditionally used for something that didn't need to be ground too fine, or maybe something sticky, like a paste or something.
"PastaLover" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:uC4pf.219$Cw5.209@fed1read05...
Quoted message said:
Doug Kanter said:
"PastaLover" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:dr2pf.213$Cw5.106@fed1read05...
Quoted message said:
I was out doing some Christmas shopping today. Was in Cost Plus World Market. They had a stainless steel mortar and pestle; the label says "made in India" and the little cardboard label inside the mortar said it was a fixture of Indian cuisine for centuries.
It's not rounded on the bottom; more squared off like a pot. The pestle is heavy stainless and has a conical end that fits in the square of the bottom edge.
I did a web search--all the metal mortars I found are rounded, just like my existing stone one.
Does anyone know about this Indian style and what special uses it would be used for?
Yes, before anyone asks, I bought it (only $10). Can always use another kitchen gadget! And I've got a collection of other stainless steel kitchen tools/toys. But I am curious what I can use it for. I'm assuming for just about anything I'd use the normal stone one for, but are there any special uses?
I didn't know stainless steel was a common material centuries ago. But anyway.....isn't a mortar supposed to have an interior surface with a matte (not-glossy) surface, so whatever you're grinding doesn't slip away from the pestle?
All I said was what was written on the tag, not that it was correct...
Granted, stainless steel probably hasn't been a common matieral for centuries. And I wondered the same thing about the glossy surface--hence my question. I wondered if it was traditionally used for something that didn't need to be ground too fine, or maybe something sticky, like a paste or something.
If nothing else, it looks damn cool!
Sorry if it sounded critical, but I'm accustomed to being able to evaluate things by looking at them. Perhaps this is not a universal skill.
It might be useful for mixing things that are already a paste, like blending chopped chives into cream cheese. But, for tasks like crushing seeds/spices, the glossy surface will probably work against you.
Pasta, I think its cool that you have a new gadget. I use my stone M&P for grinding pepper corns and other seeds. Garlic and dried peppers too. Dont they drink a lot of tea in India? Perhaps it a combination tea crusher or coffee grinder that you just pour your boiling water into after you have mashed what ever you were mashing. Will it hold a quart of water, does it appeare that it would be placed over a flame? It will look nice displayed in your kitchen.
Good Luck Happy shopping Jim
PastaLover said:
I was out doing some Christmas shopping today. Was in Cost Plus World Market. They had a stainless steel mortar and pestle; the label says "made in India" and the little cardboard label inside the mortar said it was a fixture of Indian cuisine for centuries.
It's not rounded on the bottom; more squared off like a pot. The pestle is heavy stainless and has a conical end that fits in the square of the bottom edge.
I did a web search--all the metal mortars I found are rounded, just like my existing stone one.
Does anyone know about this Indian style and what special uses it would be used for?
Yes, before anyone asks, I bought it (only $10). Can always use another kitchen gadget! And I've got a collection of other stainless steel kitchen tools/toys. But I am curious what I can use it for. I'm assuming for just about anything I'd use the normal stone one for, but are there any special uses?
Pasta, I think its cool that you have a new gadget. I use my stone M&P for grinding pepper corns and other seeds. Garlic and dried peppers too. Dont they drink a lot of tea in India? Perhaps it a combination tea crusher or coffee grinder that you just pour your boiling water into after you have mashed what ever you were mashing. Will it hold a quart of water, does it appeare that it would be placed over a flame? It will look nice displayed in your kitchen.
It's only big enough to hold about 4 ounces. :-(
Quoted message said:
Good Luck Happy shopping Jim
PastaLover said:
I was out doing some Christmas shopping today. Was in Cost Plus World Market. They had a stainless steel mortar and pestle; the label says "made in India" and the little cardboard label inside the mortar said it was a fixture of Indian cuisine for centuries.
It's not rounded on the bottom; more squared off like a pot. The pestle is heavy stainless and has a conical end that fits in the square of the bottom edge.
I did a web search--all the metal mortars I found are rounded, just like my existing stone one.
Does anyone know about this Indian style and what special uses it would be used for?
Yes, before anyone asks, I bought it (only $10). Can always use another kitchen gadget! And I've got a collection of other stainless steel kitchen tools/toys. But I am curious what I can use it for. I'm assuming for just about anything I'd use the normal stone one for, but are there any special uses?
"Doug Kanter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I didn't know stainless steel was a common material centuries ago. But anyway.....isn't a mortar supposed to have an interior surface with a
matte
Quoted message said:
(not-glossy) surface, so whatever you're grinding doesn't slip away from
the
Quoted message said:
pestle?
It depends. I have used a set in a laboratory that was some kind of hard, highly polished mineral, the aim was to grind up small samples of crystaline material very finely and to be able to clean it out effectvely in between uses to prevent one sample contaminating another. It worked OK but you wouldn't want to use it to make a curry.
"David Hare-Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"Doug Kanter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I didn't know stainless steel was a common material centuries ago. But anyway.....isn't a mortar supposed to have an interior surface with a
matte
Quoted message said:
(not-glossy) surface, so whatever you're grinding doesn't slip away from
the
Quoted message said:
pestle?
It depends. I have used a set in a laboratory that was some kind of hard, highly polished mineral, the aim was to grind up small samples of crystaline material very finely and to be able to clean it out effectvely in between uses to prevent one sample contaminating another. It worked OK but you wouldn't want to use it to make a curry.
David
The stuff didn't fly out from under the pestle? Did the pestle have a flatter grinding surface than some others?
