Pounding Pure Potency

The technique of making a paste using a mortar and pestle is a labor of love—not so common in today’s modern electric gadgetry-packed kitchens. There remain, however, many devotees to these ancient tools, which transform fibrous aromatics into fragrant spice pastes. Understanding how traditional mortar pounding is done, and the rationale behind why it works so well, will enable modern cooks to achieve similar results (in most cases) with modern machines. I still sometimes use a mortar and pestle because the rhythmic pounding is a comforting sound that brings me down to earth. But most of the time I use blenders, electric spice mills, and food processors, which allow me to produce food in a shorter time. This is a reality of my life as a busy twenty-first–century chef.