How to grind spices with a mortar and pestle (without making a mess)

Use small batches, cover the mortar with your hand, pound to break up, then twist-grind to your desired texture.

From TasteOfThePlaceWatch this bit

mortar and pestle

whole spices

Choose a mortar with a slightly rough interior and a pestle with some weight to make grinding easier. Add only a small amount of spice so it’s manageable. Partially cover the mortar with your hand to prevent spices from flying, pound straight down to crack them, then twist and move the pestle across the mortar to grind to the consistency you want.

The short version

Grind in small batches for control.
Pound first, then twist-grind to finish.
A rough mortar and weighted pestle help a lot.

What you need

mortarLook for a slightly rough interior surface
pestleChoose one with some weight

How to do it

1
Use a mortar with a slightly rough surface and a pestle with some weight.
Heavier pestles and rough mortars make grinding easier.
Watch this step
2
Put a small amount of spice in the bottom of the mortar.
Too much at once is hard to manage and can fly out.
Watch this step
3
Partially cover the top of the mortar with your hand.
This helps keep spices from flying out while you work.
Watch this step
4
Pound straight down with the pestle to start breaking the spice down.
Watch this step
5
Once cracked, grind by twisting and moving the pestle across the mortar until you reach the desired consistency.
Stop at coarse or go finer depending on how you’ll use it.
Watch this step

What goes wrong

Overfilling the mortar

Grind in smaller batches to prevent spills and improve grinding efficiency.

Trying to grind immediately without cracking the spices first

Pound straight down first, then switch to a twisting grind.

Why it works

Pounding fractures whole spices; the rough mortar surface and weighted pestle increase friction for efficient grinding. Small batches and partial covering reduce loss and improve control.