# Mortar and pestle spice grinding techniques **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [March 14, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891 "2021-03-14T18:39:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sohvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sohvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sohvan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/1 "2021-03-14T18:39:23Z")
I’ve started grinding my own spices for vegetable soup with a mortal and pestle. I really like the added flavor, but I’m having a lot of problems grinding a few specific spices. I usually grind a mix of different spices at once like cardamom seeds, coriander, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, chili and caraway. I find some spices very hard to grind this way. Cardamom seeds especially stays intact as hard small stone like seeds. Is there a specific technique I’m missing, or would grinding cardamom separately help? If you have any recommendations on other spices to use for soups they would be appreciated as well. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/2 "2021-03-14T18:50:39Z")
Do you mean “mortar”? ---
**Author:** ![Brayne\_Ded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Brayne\_Ded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brayne_Ded)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/3 "2021-03-14T19:22:17Z")
For the really tough ones, do a small amount separately and then combine all the ground powder in a grand finale. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/4 "2021-03-14T19:31:06Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Do you mean “mortar”? I’m assuming yes, and editing the title. In the unlikely chance I was wrong, let me know and I’ll change it back. (Was “mortal”, instead of “mortar”) ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/5 "2021-03-14T19:32:15Z")
Or use an immortal, they’re tougher. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/6 "2021-03-14T20:51:51Z")
I’ve found that different whole spices have different maximum efficiency approaches. Trying to do a bunch at once is more difficult than doing one at a time. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/7 "2021-03-14T21:54:44Z")
I’m with Johnny\_Bravo, if I’m going M&P, I tend to do each spice in turn, although unlike normal, I won’t bother cleaning between spices. Another trick, and one that brings out flavor as well is to quickly toast the raw spices/seeds in a hot skillet before grinding: this brings out additional flavors, and makes some of the more elastic spices easier to deal with. Do read up on the spice in question before using this trick, some are very, very volatile, and some go from toasty to burnt very easily. For that matter, I like M&P if I want a more ‘rustic’ grind, or for dishes that get strained, but if I want a fine grind I tend to cheat and use a dedicated electric spice grinder. ---
**Author:** ![sohvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sohvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sohvan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/8 "2021-03-14T22:19:42Z")
Yes, I meant Mortar and Pestle, thanks for fixing it. I have been grinding all the spices at once, so that might have been the problem. Next time I’ll try grinding the cardamom separately. ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/9 "2021-03-14T22:43:34Z")
A few times, when I really don’t feel like smashing up the tougher seeds, I use a coffee grinder. In fact, I have a coffee grinder reserved for this purpose, a cheap affair with a pair of whirling blades. It reduces pretty much anything to a fine dust. It’s amazing for spices. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/10 "2021-03-14T23:46:17Z")
I’d microplane the cardamom into a powder (and nutmeg, when applicable). ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/11 "2021-03-14T23:56:27Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I’d microplane the cardamom into a powder You would need microfingers to microplane the cardamom seeds, as they’re only about 2 - 3 millimeters long. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/12 "2021-03-15T00:43:10Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > You would need microfingers to microplane the cardamom seeds, as they’re only about 2 - 3 millimeters long. I think they’re bigger than that. Wikipedia image: [Cardamom - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom#/media/File:Cardamom_(5193854049).jpg) Kind of small but large enough to microplane by hand. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/13 "2021-03-15T00:46:18Z")
Nope, that’s the pod. Each pod contains 5 or 6 or so tiny seeds. The outer pod is indigestible, you usually use the inner seeds. The OP specified seeds, not pods. You can buy them either way. Eta: I just tried to microplane a cardamom pod. Too woody and hard; wouldn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/14 "2021-03-15T02:06:13Z")
I see what you mean. Can you grind the seeds after separating from the pods? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/15 "2021-03-15T03:33:15Z")
With a mortar & pestle, yes, they’re not bad at all. I always have trouble with fenugreek. I’ve resorted to a dedicated coffee grinder, myself, for them. You’re right about a microplane for nutmeg. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/16 "2021-03-15T04:00:38Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > if I want a fine grind I tend to cheat and use a dedicated electric spice grinder. I don’t think it’s cheating at all. A m&p is a kind of affectation - I like it because I get a kick out of the tactile aspect of its use, but a dedicated grinder is definitely the superior option when it comes to dry spices. ---
**Author:** ![Drummond\_Bays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@Drummond\_Bays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drummond_Bays)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/17 "2021-03-15T05:09:57Z")
Howdy! Off-hand open and pressed over the top to prevent jumpers, hold the mortar on a slight angle, with the pestle nestled between your thumb and forefinger. Use a downward press with a twisting motion with your main hand, press and grind, press and grind. It seems to me it’s a numbers game, i.e. many strokes \> fewer, harder strokes. The magic is in the twist, not the press. I use my M&P quite often, and I have a smooth one (big mistake!) So learning to do things like mustard seeds without making a mess was quite the adventure. ---
**Author:** ![Drummond\_Bays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@Drummond\_Bays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drummond_Bays)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mortar-and-pestle-spice-grinding-techniques/937891/18 "2021-03-15T05:30:45Z")
Just to add… I’m a clumsy fellow, not graceful at all… At first I tried to use what most folks seem to do, an overhand grip. Thumb and forefinger downwards, the way one would generally use a screwdriver. I switched to a “kiddie grip” pinky down, thumb up. This seems to work better for me. YMMV I hope it helps! Happy cooking!