Mortar and pestle

yannie

Got nostalgic for my Peranakan roots and got myself a granite mortar and pestle, now I can't wait to grind my own pastes, sauces and dips.

& apparently the mortar and pestle is a kitchen witch's tool. I might try my hand at some kitchen witchcraft too. How does one care for one's mortar and pestle, from a witch's point of view?

The Peranakans have a superstition re the mortar and pestle too - that the two must always be kept together, because that represents harmony in the household. Keep them apart & there will be disunity.

Will be interesting fusing Asian and western kitchen witchery. Got rather curious about it after preparing some "auspicious foods" for Chinese New Year :D
 

Tanga

& apparently the mortar and pestle is a kitchen witch's tool.

Yes.
Herbs and spices are commonly ground together for magickal purposes - both in the cooking arena and outside of it.
And then one might have a separate Mortar and Pestle for grinding incense together as well (as some of those ingredients are not edible).

I might try my hand at some kitchen witchcraft too. How does one care for one's mortar and pestle, from a witch's point of view?

:)
Well there's cleaning it in the mundane sense - and then one can always decide to energetically "cleanse" it in the myriad of ways that are available or pertinent to the particular Witches tradition.
:) :)
e.g:
- ring a gong over it
- wave some burning sage over it with intent
- consecrate it with salt and water (perhaps with a little chant)
- do a whole ritual with it sitting in the middle of your Witchy Alter on a specific
Magickally corresponding night...

One could go on. :) :)

The Peranakans have a superstition re the mortar and pestle too - that the two must always be kept together, because that represents harmony in the household. Keep them apart & there will be disunity.

Mortar and Pestle always brings to mind Baba Yaga - *pleasant shiver runs down spine* ;). Particularly the rendition of her from The Goddess Oracle by Marashinsky and Janto...
She rides in a mortar with a pestle as the "oar".

(**will post a photo when I've made one).


...Here it is:
 

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celticnoodle

I have a mortar and pestle as well, for our kitchen creations--however I did the horrible sin of washing it with soap and water. I didn't know! I never threw that one out though, as I love it. the color of it and all. however, I have since found out that you should do this:

Wash it in clean water, without detergent and let it air dry.
(In fact, you should never wash it with soap unless you want your fantastic creations tainted with it. )

You should always begin using it when it’s dry, a wet mortar might gum up your dry ingredients.

Roughly grind a small handful of white rice. Discard and repeat until the rice grinds white. It will take several grinds. If you have a white mortar and pestle, plan on grinding three times. This is somewhat cumbersome in the small mortars but is great practice and you should be a grinding pro by the time you’re done. If your mortar has a tendency to slip on the counter while you are learning, put a non-skid shelf liner under it.

Next, add 4 cloves of garlic, then mash and muddle it together.

Add 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to the garlic. Grind it all together, enjoy the smells, and discard.

Wash it again in clean water, without soap, and air dry.

found here:

http://preparednessmama.com/learning-to-use-a-mortar-and-pestle/

but why in the world you need to ground 4 cloves of garlic, mash & muddle it together and then dd all the other spices, I really don't know. I guess I can understand the rice--but the other stuff?

Now, I only rinse it out with hot water and dry it.
 

Tanga

Thanks Celtinoodle. :) :)

My kitchen one is all ceramic.
My incense one - is made of marble.
 

Barleywine

We've had a granite mortar and wooden pestle for years and never used them (we throw dried garden herbs in the blender). But recently my daughter, an occasionally professional bar manager, showed me how to use the pestle to muddle fruit for an Old Fashioned cocktail, the only "witchery" I've performed with it. The only problem is the end gets stained red from the cocktail cherries; I think I'm going to name it "Rudolf" or maybe "WC" (as in "Fields"). I will have to look for a ceramic one. It seems to me the mortar and pestle shouldn't be of the same material, but I could be wrong there.
 

nisaba

but why in the world you need to ground 4 cloves of garlic, mash & muddle it together and then dd all the other spices, I really don't know. I guess I can understand the rice--but the other stuff?

To make it smell and *feel* like a well-used, well-loved piece of equipment. There's nothing colder than brand-new.
 

yannie

Thanks everyone for your replies!

CN, yes I did come across that page when I was googling how to care for one's M&P. I was like, too many steps! How do the Peranakans do it? & Peranakans are VERY anal about their cuisine & its preparation, right down to the tools used. So anal that it's dying out because no Nonya wants to share her secret recipes.

So I narrowed my search & came to this:

http://www.foodforlifetv.sg/article/5-peranakan-cooking-tips-you-need-learn

Just salt & water! & it can double as consecration too (thanks Tanga) I'm going to stick with that. :D

Aside - Baba is what male Peranakans are called. :)
 

celticnoodle

:laugh: Barleywine, you're funny! :D

Thanks Celtinoodle. :) :)

My kitchen one is all ceramic.
My incense one - is made of marble.
Mine is marble. I sometimes think of buying another one for making household cleaning things with.

To make it smell and *feel* like a well-used, well-loved piece of equipment. There's nothing colder than brand-new.
ah! okay. but, not sure I want the smell of garlic hanging around. I like garlic-don't get me wrong--I use to make garlic sandwiches, and miss them now...but I don't want to smell it continually. Perhaps making my own cinnamon in it though. That is an aroma I could take 24/7.

Thanks everyone for your replies!

CN, yes I did come across that page when I was googling how to care for one's M&P. I was like, too many steps! How do the Peranakans do it? & Peranakans are VERY anal about their cuisine & its preparation, right down to the tools used. So anal that it's dying out because no Nonya wants to share her secret recipes.

So I narrowed my search & came to this:

http://www.foodforlifetv.sg/article/5-peranakan-cooking-tips-you-need-learn

Just salt & water! & it can double as consecration too (thanks Tanga) I'm going to stick with that. :D

Aside - Baba is what male Peranakans are called. :)
T.Y. ! I will do this I think. And, with the new one I will/may be buying soon.... :)
 

yannie

So I did the salt thing just now, & it was such a discovery for me - to see the salt turn grey as I mashed & muddled it around, & then turn whiter with each fresh batch ground. The salt stayed white on the 4th batch.

I mumbled a consecration spell as I went along. My little magic pounder! (Pounder's what the old Peranakans call it here, in English). I've got a rather polished one, but it was a hard choice between that and the more primitive, rough and bulky type reminiscent of the old days. Might get that next time. Bit hard to shake off that old-school on account of my heritage.

I've started baking bread too. Am just learning the magical significance of it... will do so more mindfully in future!
 

soot

The Peranakans have a superstition re the mortar and pestle too - that the two must always be kept together, because that represents harmony in the household. Keep them apart & there will be disunity.

Never heard of this one but it makes sense! I have a granite mortar and pestle that I keep apart for practical storage reasons and some days I feel like the mortar is telling me it misses the pestle. (It originally belonged to my grandmother who always keep them together)

P.S. I assume you're Indonesian/Malaysian/Singaporean?