How to Care for & Clean a Stone Mortar & Pestle

Stone mortars and pestles, whether made from granite or volcanic rock, provide you with years of use in the kitchen when cared for properly. A mortar and pestle lets you grind and crush ingredients or create dips such as guacamole and salsa. For best performance, season your mortar and pestle before its first use. Seasoning removes loose stones and dust, and the process leaves a slight flavor on the stone that enhances foods ground in it. To keep the mortar and pestle clean, all you need is warm water.

Things You'll Need

Uncooked white rice
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons kosher salt

Pinch of coriander or cumin seeds
Vinegar or unscented soap

Instructions

- 1
  Pour a handful of uncooked white rice into a mortar if you need to remove loose dirt or rocks. Use the pestle to grind the rice until it turns into powder. The powdered rice turns gray as it collects loose debris.
- 2
  Rinse out the dirty rice. Add more rice and grind it with the pestle, then rinse it out. Repeat this process until the ground rice no longer looks gray.
- 3
  Add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to the mortar. Add three large garlic cloves. Sprinkle in a few coriander or cumin seeds. Grind the mixture until it becomes a paste.
- 4
  Leave the ground mixture in the mortar overnight. Rinse the mixture out of the mortar with warm water. This seasons the stone, giving food ground in the mortar a subtle flavor.
- 5
  Wash the mortar and pestle gently in warm water after each use. Avoid using soap, since the stone absorbs its scent. If you must use soap, use an unscented variety. Vinegar also makes a safe, gentle cleanser for stone mortars and pestles.

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