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Thank you for purchasing the HiCoup Granite Pestle and Mortar! Congratulations and Welcome to the Family! We would like to thank you for purchasing the HiCoup Granite Mortar and Pestle. It is with great pleasure that we welcome you into the HiCoup Kitchenware family. HiCoup Kitchenware is a new company whose goal is to provide premiere, professional- inspired kitchenware direct to consumers like you. We design and produce our own products and are always adding more professional level kitchenware to our lineup! We would like to congratulate you for your mortar and pestle selection because you now own one of the finest granite mortar and pestle on the market. The HiCoup Mortar and Pestle was built to last and has been made from high quality granite that will serve you well for years to come. The reason why the granite mortar and pestle has not entirely been replaced by modern electric grinders is that it does indeed produce a more delicious paste. Instead of grinding up the fresh herbs and spices with a metal blade, these ingredients are pounded to release and meld all of their natural oils and juices. The metal blade merely cuts the ingredients up and mixes them. But the heavy stone pestle pounds the ingredients in a way that an electric device cannot. In this short guide, you will learn how to season your new mortar and pestle, tips and techniques on how to use your mortar and pestle, and finally how to care and how to properly clean a granite mortar and pestle so that it will provide you with many years of service. HiCoup Kitchenware prides itself in offering professional-inspired kitchen products and we hope you are 100% satisfied. If for some reason our product did not meet your expectation, please do not hesitate to e-mail our Customer Care department at [email protected], or visit our website at www.hicoupkitchenware.com before leaving a negative review. We will do EVERYTHING in our power to make sure that we make it right for you. Again, thank you very much for your purchase! Sincerely, John-Paul Dechaneo Founder, HiCoup Kitchenware 1 PRODUCT COLLECTION Rosewood Waiter’s Corkscrew Stainless Steel with Rosewood Inlay Ebony Wood Waiter’s Corkscrew Waiter’s Corkscrew Wing Corkscrew Red Wine Aerating Pourer Crystal Glass Wine Decanter Oyster Knife with Sheath Granite Mortar & Pestle Click on the button below to see more about our products on Amazon HiCoup’s Amazon Storefront 2 HiCoup Kitchenware Loyalty Club Whenever we launch a new product, we typically give away a limited amount of that product to our previous customers at a deep discount in order to test the market demand. Would you like to get our next product at a deep discount? Simply sign-up for the HiCoup Kitchenware Loyalty Club by clicking on the link below or by visiting http://hicoupkitchenware.com/hicoup-loyalty-club/ 3 The Uses for Mortar and Pestle The mortar and pestle may be the oldest of all culinary implements. As basic as two stones, this simple tool can be used in a staggering array of food preparations, from spice blends to fabled sauces. Here are a few notable examples from the world's cuisines. Classic Genoese Pesto The city of Genoa is one of Italy's great culinary capitals, and part of that heritage is its famous pesto sauce. Purists insist this classic sauce is best when prepared in a mortar and pestle, with the exceptional basil of the region. Begin by crushing garlic in the mortar with a bit of salt, slowly adding the basil and then the pine nuts, until the mixture is a thick paste. Add the cheeses, and finish the sauce by adding top-quality olive oil in small amounts until the whole mixture has a smooth and creamy texture. Authentic Salsa and Guacamole One of the characteristic fixtures in a traditional Mexican kitchen is the molcajete, a large mortar carved out of rough volcanic rock. Traditionally used for a wide variety of preparations, even grinding small amounts of corn into flour, today they are largely used to make traditional salsas and guacamole. Add ingredients such as onions, garlic and chili peppers first, and ground to a fine paste before adding the tomatoes or avocados. The interior surfaces of a molcajete are made of rough stone and must be prepared, or "seasoned" before using. Thai Curry Pastes Thai food was largely unknown in North America until recent decades, yet today there are few places so small that it is unavailable. The mortar and pestle are integral to Thai cooking, and especially so in the preparation of the curry pastes that are such a characteristic part of the cuisine. Made up of ingredients such as ginger, garlic, galangal, shallots and chili peppers in varying proportions, pastes also include spices and herbs. Although high quality commercial pastes are readily available, they are superior when freshly made. Ras Al-Hanout One of North Africa's culinary glories is its spice mixtures and pastes, such as the fiery harissa. Another classic mixture is Morocco's "ras al-hanout," meaning the best the spice merchant has to offer. There is no single standard mixture, though commonly- used spices include cardamom, cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, chilies and turmeric. Some blends include ingredients little-known in the Western world such as dried rosebuds and cubebs, a spice similar to pepper. It is best prepared in a mortar and pestle, though you may want to pre-grind tough spices like cinnamon and cloves. 4 How to Season a Mortar & Pestle Before using a mortar and pestle for the first time, it is important to season it to avoid any unwanted flavors, deter sticking and smooth what might be an excessively rough grinding surface. This process will also clean out the stone dust that is inherently left during the manufacturing process. Things Needed Water Stiff cleaning brush 1/3 cup of uncooked rice 4 peeled cloves of garlic 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon of pepper Step 1 Clean the mortar and pestle under running water with a stiff cleaning brush. Allow to air dry. Step 2 Place 1/3 cup of uncooked rice in the mortar and grind it into the surface with the pestle until the rice is pulverized. The color of the pulverized rice should be white once you finish grinding it. Discard the rice. Step 3 Place four peeled cloves of garlic and a teaspoon each of cumin, kosher salt and pepper into the mortar. Step 4 Grind the ingredients into the surface of the mortar with the pestle until all the ingredients are pulverized together. Discard the ingredients. Step 5 Rinse the mortar and pestle under running water. Allow to air dry before storing. 5 Basic Technique Read the recipe for processing instructions If you need something ground into a paste or powder, this is the ideal tool. Items that are good to grind or crush in the mortar and pestle include peppercorns, spice seeds, herb seeds, fresh herb and spice leaves, rice, nuts, other plant seeds, hard candies, sea salt, and so on. Anything used for baking or eating that can be crushed is likely to work in the mortar and pestle. If you need something chopped, pureed, or blended, you may be better off with another tool, such as a blender or processor. The recipe will often be a guide on this. Place the raw ingredients in the mortar Measure out your whole peppercorns, cinnamon, or other ingredient and place it in the mortar. Fill the mortar no more than ⅓ full with raw spices; otherwise, it will be difficult to get an even grind. If you have too much to fit, it's fine to process the spices in batches. Use the pestle to process to your desired consistency Hold the mortar in place with one hand, take the pestle in your opposite fist, and twist it against the ingredients in the mortar so that they are ground against its bottom and sides. Evenly grind, bash or crush all of the spices, using the pestle to mix and grind them until they are all reduced to the same consistency. Continue until the ingredients are as coarse or fine as you want. See below to learn specific techniques for grinding, crushing or bashing your ingredients. Each technique will result in a different consistency, and can affect the flavor and final outcome of your dish. Store or measure out the ingredients You can either place the freshly ground contents of the mortar into a glass spice jar with a tight-fitting lid, or go ahead and measure out how much you need for your recipe. Other Grinds 6 Specific Techniques Use the mortar and pestle to grind This is the ideal technique for most spices you'll use in baked goods, sauces and other dishes. You can grind to a coarse, medium or fine consistency. 1) Place your ingredients in the mortar and hold it in place with one hand. 2) Hold the pestle in your fist with a firm but comfortable grip. 3) Press the rounded end of the pestle down onto the ingredients and roll it against the mortar while applying firm pressure. 4) Grind until you've reached your preferred consistency. Use pounding for large spices and seeds If the item resists or is simply large and needs this approach, use firm but gentle pounding, sometimes called bashing. This will crack the spices, allowing you to switch techniques to get a finer grind. 1) Grind first. This action will catch the ingredients that crush easily and make the pounding easier.

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