So, Do I Need a Mortar and Pestle?

[fierydrunk]

What about a soapstone one? They have a few good looking ones for a good price on eBay...

[joiei]

i have two, a marble and a ceramic one. I prefer the ceramic. I use them all the time!!!!!!! Some how grinding spices in a coffee grinder is just not the same and it is very hard to crush a half teaspoon of something in anything but a mortar and pestle. get one and use it.

[Mottmott]

And if you have a pet who needs pills, nothing's better than a mortar for crushing them to add to food. Add the powder to a little baby food meat and even the most canny cat will melt.

[callalla]

I just got a big stone mortar and pestle from one of the Thai Supermarkets in Central Sydney and I love it! Once I'd wrestled it home on the bus (wincing at the thought of dropping it on my toes) I immediately knocked up some pesto - not only did it hardly take any time, it was very theraputic.

I've also made goma-ae (sp...) from the recipe archive, and on Saturday followed the David Thompson recipe for green curry paste - he's a firm believer that the pestle and mortar is the way to go. It turned out fantastically - the green curry of my dreams, but I did have to fetch my goggles out of my swimming kit as the small drops of flying birds-eye chilli juice were posing a danger to my eyes (wasn't quite so circumspect later as I accidentally removed my contact lenses with my chilli holding hand).

Obviously there are lots of recommendations about what type to go for etc, I would recommend seeing what's available in any Asian supermarkets that you have nearby, as I saved heaps by doing that. Also, I think that bigger is better - in terms of result and of ease of use.