• Asian Cookware
• Sticky Rice Steamer
• Granite Mortar & Pestle
• Clay Mortar & Pestle
• Mortar & Pestle Fundamentals
• Why do I need a Mortar & Pestle?
• Fruit Carving Knives & Tools

This granite stone mortar and pestle has become internationally famous thanks to chefs like the Naked Chef, Jamie Oliver. A mortar and pestle should be the part of every well equipped kitchen and this granite stone set is not only functional and durable but also beautiful. We are proud that the Temple of Thai mortar and pestle has been recommended in Cook's Illustrated Magazine and Food Network Magazine.

Here is our selection of solid granite stone mortar and pestles, handmade by Thai craftsmen from natural grey or dark green stone and ranging in size from small, large, extra-large and super size. Please note that as each one of these mortar and pestles is carved by hand by individual craftsmen, there will be slight variations in the models.

You can also find a replacement pestle in case yours becomes damaged. You can be sure of our commitment to only the finest quality Asian kitchenware.

Need help deciding which mortar and pestle is best for you? See our article Which Mortar & Pestle?

Small Mortar & Pestle

Jamie Oliver has made the granite mortar and pestle set required modern cooking equipment. This petite version is perfect for grinding small quantities of dried spices, garlic, fresh herbs and even pills. The non-porous stone makes it easy to clean, just rinse with water and drip dry. It is lightweight, making it more portable then the heavier sets. We especially recommend this set for aspiring kid chefs, college gourmets on the move and older cooks. To clean the mortar and pestle, simply rinse with warm water and drip dry after using, using soap only as needed.

$ 22.95 Qty:

(approx. 6" diameter, approx. 4" bowl, 4" height; 6" pestle; 1 cup capacity; 5lb shipping wt)

Large Mortar and Pestle

This Temple of Thai Large Granite Stone Mortar and Pestle has been recommended in Cook's Illustrated Magazine.

While it may seem that there may not be much difference between using a food blender versus a mortar and pestle, actually you will find that there are significant reasons for using the old fashioned method. This is because a food blender cannot produce the same results as a mortar and pestle in many instances, especially when pulverizing dried spices and fresh herbs like lemongrass. The mortar and pestle helps to extract the juices and oils of fresh and dried spices and pulverizes fibrous roots and herbs while a food blender only breaks the food up but does not actually blend the essential essences of the spices.

With this solid granite mortar and pestle set you will be able to grind spices, fresh herbs and garlic easily. You will find this tool essential to authentic Thai cooking especially curry paste. Carved from natural gray stone, this set will last a lifetime. The heavy weight pestle makes grinding a quick task.

The large mortar and pestle is approximately seven inches in diameter and is the most common size used in Thai home kitchens on a day to day basis. This is because it is large enough to hold the ingredients for cooking a family sized portion of the various pastes called for in Thai cuisine, especially curry paste, and it is easy to pick up and move around. In fact, this is the set that Temple of Thai uses in it's own home kitchen. But if you do a lot of parties or have a large family consider purchasing the larger eight or nine inch sets below.

To clean the mortar and pestle, simply rinse with warm water and drip dry after using, using soap only as needed.

"Grandiose in size and weight, this mortar and pestle looks like an ancient artifact, but the rough surface was able to grind toasted rice in 50 strokes..." Cook's Illustrated

Important Note: because each mortar and pestle set is is hand carved by individual Thai craftsmen, there will be slight variations in the models. The granite sone can vary from light grey to darker colors.

$ 32.95 Qty:

(approx. 7" diameter outside, approx. 5" bowl, 4 1/2" height; 7" pestle; approx. 2 cup capacity; 15lb shipping wt)

X-Large Mortar & Pestle

Our Thai Extra-Large Granite mortar and pestle, currently featured in the Food Network Magazine September 2012 issue, is used by the Cooking Channel's Jeffrey Saad host of United Tastes of America. This granite stone set has also been featured in Italian Cooking & Living (La Cucina Italiana) for making olive tapenade.

This beautiful granite mortar and pestle is ready for any international cooking tasks including Thai food, with nearly double the bowl size of our large mortar & pestle! It is a pleasure to display on the kitchen counter and will last a lifetime.

To clean the mortar and pestle, simply rinse with warm water and drip dry after using, using soap only as needed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Our current stock of the XL 8" stone mortar has "handles", is dark granite and textured with a gloss on the outside (so it is slightly different then the one in the image).

$ 39.95 Qty:

(approximately: 8" diameter outside, 5 1/2" bowl, 6" height; 7" pestle; approx. 3 cups capacity; 20lb shipping wt.)

Super-Size Mortar & Pestle

This king-sized mortar and pestle (9" diameter) is the largest set we offer with over double the bowl size of our large mortar & pestle! No kitchen job will ever be too large. The large bowl size makes it is especially suitable for grinding bulky fresh garden herbs like rosemary, thyme and oregano. The heavy pestle grinds quickly and efficiently, doing the work for you.

We recommend this set for the professional kitchen, caterers or cooking schools. This set also makes the perfect gift for the cooking connoisseur who enjoys the best. They will thank you for a lifetime!

To clean the mortar and pestle, simply rinse with warm water and drip dry after using, using soap only as needed.

$ 69.95 Qty:

(approximately: 9" diameter outside, 5 3/4" bowl, 6" height; 9" pestle (about 2lbs); approx. 5-6 cups capacity; 22lb shipping wt.)

Granite Pestle

This is a replacement for your broken pestle. The stone pestle is rough on the lower portion and glazed on the top for smooth handling. Please note that the color of the stone varies as it is a natural product and it may not be the same color as your mortar.

$ 12.59 Qty:

{8" - 9" Granite Pestle (size varies); Weight over 1lb.}

UPS Ground Shipping Costs for Mortar & Pestles: please use our online cart, input your delivery address (only) and the shipping cost will be automatically calculated. Note that the cost is weight based and distance based according to our warehouse location in North Hollywood, CA (91605).

Shopping Advice

Each unique stone mortar and pestle set is machine cut from blocks of solid high quality Thai granite rock and hand finished by Thai craftsmen. When shopping, please be aware that the Thai mortar and pestle has become so popular in the past few years, that copies are being produced in China of lesser quality stone - caveat emptor! These are commonly seen for sale on auction websites.

As each set is hand finished, there can be variation in the sets with occassionally small 'chips' out of the stone. These variations do not effect the quality of the mortar and in fact should be considered part of its beauty. The inside bowl of the mortar is smoothly polished and non-porous. The outside of the bowl and top of the pestle is lightly glazed with shellac for decorative purposes. Stone color can vary from dark to light grey.

Any of these sets would make an excellent gift for the cook. They are functional and beautiful to display, the recipient will thank you for years to come! Also note that as with all our products, we offer a 30 day money back guarantee.

Customer Testimonies

Thai Mortar and Pestle

Most Thai food chefs will tell you that the mortar and pestle is probably the most important kitchen utensil in Thai cooking. In fact, mortar and pestles have been part of the Thai kitchen for almost 800 years, perhaps since the Sukothai era. If you are serious about preparing Thai food favorites such as red curry using a homemade curry paste or papaya salad (som tum) the mortar and pestle is indispensable.

Which Mortar & Pestle?

Granite stoneware mortar and pestles are used for grinding ingredients that are fiborous and tough, like lemongrass and galangal such as for curry pastes. Our granite mortar and pestle will reduce fibrous herbs and hard seeds in no time. The pestle and inside surface of the mortar are polished smooth, so it will not absorb odors from foods. Very dense and heavy, this set does not chip and will last for years, even when subjected to vigorous pounding.

If you would like only to grind small quantities of herbs and spices or even pills, a less substantial set will suffice. Our smallest size granite mortar and pestle will work perfectly.

Lighter weight earthern clay mortar and pestles are preferred for crushing and blending ingredients such as for som tum salad. The traditional clay mortar and pestle can also be used for making curry paste (though less vigorous pounding is recommended) and especially useful for making Thai salads.

Quick Comparison

There are many different types of mortar and pestles available on the market, but we believe that the Thai granite set is one of the most attractive and versatile. The Mexican molcajete tejolote, although beautiful, can be coarse and porous. Molcajetes are usually made from basalt (lava) and are employed to create salsas and sauces.

The pestle of the popular marble mortar and pestle sets is much lighter in weight than the Thai granite one, making pounding more arduous. The Japanese suriabachi is perfectly suited for grinding dry ingredients, but more limited in use. Of course you should choose your cooking tools based on what you actually plan to cook! So if you are in fact making Japanese pastes than perhaps the suribachi is best for you. Also consider our clay mortar and pestle set, which is also very popular in Thailand and preferred by some because of its lighter weight.

Still Can't Decide?

See Kasma Loha-unchit's comparison of Thai mortar and pestles.

The rhythmic chank chank sound of the granite pestle hitting the mortar has traditionally started the day in many a Thai home. Up with the chickens, the woman of the household gathers together prik haeng (dried red chilies), fresh garlic, fresh lemon grass, fresh turmeric, and sea salt and tosses them into the bowl and pounds professionally into a very smooth paste (no seeds of the prik haeng should be visible when completed). With daily practice this can be done in less than 15 minutes. For a foreigner it may take at least twice as long. But the tasty results make the extra effort a worthwhile investment.

Today fewer Thais take the time to make the daily curry paste. It is convenient and inexpensive to pick up ready-made pastes ground by a large kreaung (machine) in the marketplace. Now the granite mortar and pestle is more often used for making Nam Prik, a spicy chili pastes, and to pulverize herbs, fresh green peppercorns (unfortunately not available in the US) and dried spices. Also, ready-made curry pastes can be spiced up or enlivened with additions of the cook's choosing - useful information for the busy Western cook also!

In the not so distant past (around World War II), apparently some Thai chefs did not even have access to the current version of the granite mortar and pestle and used something more akin to a primative mortar and pestle (i.e. Mexican Metate y Metlapil), grinding with a rock held in the palm of the hand. Paste making took hours instead of minutes. Perhaps we should look upon the granite mortar and pestle as a modern convenience?!

Each granite mortar and pestle is made by hand by Thai craftsmen near the Gulf of Thailand, in the eastern part of the country. Apparently one can learn the trade within a couple of weeks. But the men who practice this art consider it to be a job of low pay and low status, therefore they are encouraging their children to not take up the craft. Also there is a limited quantity of good quality granite available in Thailand. These factors could someday lead to the demise of the trade. Some are calling for the intervention of the government, to insure its survival as it is an ancient craft handed down from family to family. In addition to making mortar and pestles, these same craftsmen carve Buddhist images in the tradition of Angkor Wat (Khmer ruins in Cambodia), those famous twin stone lions for library entrances and even kitsch garden ornaments, including gnomes!

Today in the United States the granite mortar and pestle has become very popular due to its use on Food TV by Jamie Oliver, also known as the Naked Chef. Being such a charming guy, Thailand's foundering mortar and pestle industry has enjoyed a sudden resurgence. Just when Thais were starting to buy their first electric blenders, and things were looking rocky, there has suddenly been an unexpected surge of exports of these mortar and pestle sets to the West.

Of course it is just another cooking trend, and once everyone who ever wanted a stone mortar and pestle has one, there will be no need really to buy another one - the darn things never wear out so that they can be passed from generation to generation. There are mortar and pestles still in use in Thailand that are known to be well over 25 years old. The pestle does slowly wear down after daily use for many, many years, as does the bowl.