Suribachi

Nothing works better for grinding sesame seeds than a suribachi, a ceramic grinding bowl lined with ridges, and a wooden pestle (surikogi)—the Japanese version of the mortar and pestle. The bowl is glazed on the outside and unglazed on the inside. A coffee grinder that you use only for seeds and spices or a mini food processor also accomplishes the task. The suribachi is useful for preparing foods from other cuisines as well, such as pesto, and for combining ingredients to make salad dressings, crushing garlic, and more.