Large Suribachi Pestle & Mortar - Black

* This item will return in April 2026 * Too much pressure?  You could apply a little here to produce the soothing aroma of crushed herbs, seeds and spices! This fine mino-ware suribachi bowl is a traditional type of Japanese pestle and mortar.  The textured bowl comes complete with a wooden pestle or surikogi. The large bowl has a semi-matte black glaze on the outside and the texured inner surface is unglazed clay.  It has a lip on the edge to help with pouring liquids. The pronounced ridges inside the bowl are especially designed to form a lovely pattern as well as providing the important grinding surface.  They help to 'catch' smaller ingredients like seeds, preventing them from slipping around too much and jumping out of the bowl.  This makes a very effective surface to crush and blend different ingredients against.  It releases the food's oils and aromas and creates the perfect consistency for your cooking. The surikogi or pestle is made from reclaimed tounou hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood.  The wooden pestle ensures that the grinding surface in the bowl does not get overly worn by regular use. Important note:  The wooden surikogi included with this item no longer has a drilled hole with a string at the narrow end as pictured. A suribachi and surikogi are a great way to prepare seasoning, spices, seeds and herbs.  In particular, they are often used for turning toasted sesame seeds into a paste, for grinding garlic, fresh basil leaves, nuts and peppercorns. In Japan, chefs and cooks prefer this traditional method over knives or electric blenders as you can better experience the aroma of the ingredients and get an improved flavour and texture. As well as being use for Japanese cooking, a suribachi is ideal for making pesto and blending curry paste! This large suribachi bowl is 15.4cm (about 6") in diameter by 7.5cm (3") high.  The surikogi pestle is 12cm (4¾") in length. Made in Japan.