Mortar and pestle

Salam all,

Anyone use mortar and pestle (sill batta / hawan dasta ) I think thats what it is called in urdu… what do you guys use it for? How does stuff differ if you prepare it in modern appliances…pls share your views and experiences…

thanks, jazak Allah khair

Re: Mortar and pestle

I have recently got one and have been using it to make mint-coriander chutney,ginger-garlic paste,mashing coarsely sliced onions and tomatoes for 'khara masala' for okra or karahi,etc..I initially wanted to have one as an alternative to chopper during load-shedding,but now I use it cuz I love using it.

Re: Mortar and pestle

i have a tiny one, something you might use in a chemistry lab, and i use it to crush cloves or garlic or to lightly crush things like sabat garam masala. the bigger it is, the more uses you can get out of it.

Re: Mortar and pestle

The older generation does not believe in using choppers and blenders, they think and feel that the taste , flavor , consistency and aroma of food is better if they use sill batta or hawan dasta for preparing masala for their food.
Hawan dasta and sill batta are two different set of kitchen tools.

Re: Mortar and pestle

the older generation didn't have choppers and blenders :p it's the newer generation that believe that stuff.

Re: Mortar and pestle

Some people still have very sane nani , dadi , nana jan , dada jan etc who will argue with you for hours about this subject. I know a gentleman from Pakistan he is 80 years old , very active Mashallah , he comes from a family of Hakeems , he believes in this theory.

So true! Chutney for instance taste much different (better) made in a a mortar and pestle vs a blender, lots more flavor I think.

Re: Mortar and pestle

The first thing I got myself after moving out was get a mortar and pestle. I swear by it and use it almost daily for lassan adrak, crush coriander seeds or zeera and even making chutney :k:

I don't know about sabut masala, but for chutney the above is absolutely true.

Sill/Batta and Hawan/Dasta are two differnt things. I think that later is called Mortar and Pestle

Re: Mortar and pestle

Can you make chutney in a mortar pestle?

Re: Mortar and pestle

yes u can....i remember at my nani ammi's house it was made that way when we were kids....
i remember it not being as smooth/fine as made in a food processor or blender we use these days...but tasted too good...:)
my nana abu used to do the honors of making it...may God rest his soul...ameen...

I think Sill batta is the rectangle board with a danda type thing used to crush stuff ....am I right ???