Grinding Spices: Blender

There is nothing more effective than a blender when combining liquids with dry spices, fresh herbs, onions, garlic, or ginger for sauces, pastes, or purees. Glass blender jars, unlike plastic, will not absorb the aromas and flavors of spices and herbs. Large volumes of whole spices can be ground in a blender with surprisingly great results. However, blenders fail to do the job when all you need is a small quantity of a freshly ground spice. No two blenders are the same. Blenders with a narrow base effectively puree sauces and pastes. The broader-base models are better suited for blended drinks (which is why I have one of each: I can puree that Ginger Chile Paste in one while I sip a glass of blended margarita made in the other). I also adore the handheld stick blenders known as immersion blenders, especially if I need to puree legumes and vegetables after they cook (it saves cooling time and avoids messing up a blender jar).