Blenders, Small Food Processors, Mortar and Pestle

For turning fresh herbs into flavorful seasoning pastes, you can use a blender or a small-capacity food processor. You will usually need to pause and scrape down the sides during the process, and to add water to get the blades moving so that everything gets ground together smoothly and well. Since Thai recipes often call for small amounts of very fibrous ingredients, such as lemongrass, ginger, and galanga, you need a small, deep workbowl that keeps everything contained and in close proximity to the whirling blades. If you would like to use a traditional heavy Thai mortar and pestle, or kroke, for these jobs, look among the cookware in an Asian grocery store. The squat, bluish black stone kroke is made entirely of granite. Ranging in size from tiny to huge, this kroke pulverizes lemongrass fibers and whole spices into seasoning pastes with ease. A big one is ideal, but small ones are fine if you work in batches as needed. The tall, rustic Lao-style kroke is glazed ceramic or clay with a sturdy wooden pestle. It makes short work of som tum, or Green Papaya Salad, with its large, deep bowl. Both kinds are objects of beauty as well as service, worthy of a place on your kitchen counter when not in use.