Folks,
Today, I want to talk about lesung batu, or in English -- pestle and mortar.
This is one of the essential equipment that could be found in most Asian kitchens. In fact, I would go to as far as saying that "shame on you for being an Asian if this equipment is absent in your kitchen".
The equipment or utensil (?) is commonly used to crush and mix vegetables such as chilli, onions and garlic.
Most often, this utensil is used to create a basic paste to be thrown in the hot kuali [saucepan] before the real cooking starts.
In Malaysia, besides creating basic cooking paste, this equipment is also routinely used to make the famous sambal belancan -- shrimp paste chilli sauce. Crushing the belacan [shrimp paste] in this utensil is together with chillies is differing from mixing them together in a blender.
And true enough, as the picture below suggests that if a lady does not know what this utensil is used for, then perhaps, cancel the wedding.
This utensil is the most basic tool in any Asian kitchen. Despite having modern kitchen equipment and utensils, cooking with this lesung batu is not the same as cooking with blenders.
Legend also has it that a person utilizing this equipment could turn crazy should the utensil breaks while in usage. To what extent this legend is true -- that I am not sure; but so far, in my 27 years of living on this planet earth, I have not heard a cooking utensil, strong such as this broke.
Today, I want to talk about lesung batu, or in English -- pestle and mortar.
This is one of the essential equipment that could be found in most Asian kitchens. In fact, I would go to as far as saying that "shame on you for being an Asian if this equipment is absent in your kitchen".
The equipment or utensil (?) is commonly used to crush and mix vegetables such as chilli, onions and garlic.
Most often, this utensil is used to create a basic paste to be thrown in the hot kuali [saucepan] before the real cooking starts.
In Malaysia, besides creating basic cooking paste, this equipment is also routinely used to make the famous sambal belancan -- shrimp paste chilli sauce. Crushing the belacan [shrimp paste] in this utensil is together with chillies is differing from mixing them together in a blender.
And true enough, as the picture below suggests that if a lady does not know what this utensil is used for, then perhaps, cancel the wedding.
This utensil is the most basic tool in any Asian kitchen. Despite having modern kitchen equipment and utensils, cooking with this lesung batu is not the same as cooking with blenders.
Legend also has it that a person utilizing this equipment could turn crazy should the utensil breaks while in usage. To what extent this legend is true -- that I am not sure; but so far, in my 27 years of living on this planet earth, I have not heard a cooking utensil, strong such as this broke.
(disclaimer: this image is not mine)
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