In Thailand, the mortar or khrok (ครก) and the pestle or sak/saak (สาก), is one of the most indispensable tools in the kitchen. The Laos Style Mortar and Pestles we carry are the terracotta version which is used with an extra-long hard wood pestle, included. The outside is glazed to enhance the natural tone of the clay, while the inside of the bowl is completely untreated and natural clay.

The mortar has an extra deep inner bowl to facilitate the pounded action which can be used to grind ingredients to make curry pastes, and has a large enough capacity to mix and lightly bruise ingredients when making something like Green Papaya Salad rather than grinding.  The Mortar is also used in curry paste preparation.

Item Number:	TAI-7215-08
Dimensions (inches):
Length:	8.0
Width:	8.0
Height:	6.5
Diameter:	7.5
How we measure

Appearance

As with most handmade products by artisans around the world, the Laos Style Mortar and Pestle may have slight imperfections, and because of the glazing and firing process, the outside will have variations in color and may exhibit rough patches, however, these imperfection do not compromise the aesthetics or functionality of the pieces and are considered normal and to be expected. Likewise, sizes of same model may vary slightly.

The clay mortar should be cleaned after each use. Although the material is dishwasher-safe, it is not recommended, but rather it should be rinsed with warm water and wiped dry. In fact, you should not use soap unless absolutely necessary since the mortar and pestles is porous and soap can leave a residue that can affect the taste of the ingredients the next time you grind something. If grinding dry ingredients, it may be sufficient to simply clean out the bowl with a clean towel or paper towel.

The wooded pestle need s special care as the wood if left wet can grow mold or split and crack. Make sure it’s dried thoroughly before you store it.

For extra tough smells or stains, you can pour some dry white rice into the mortar and grind the rice. The rice will help in extracting the smell and removing stains. You might have to repeat the process a few times.