Verve Culture | Molcajete with Tortilla Basket

The molcajete is a century-old mortar and pestle used by Mexican cooks. Its rough surface is made entirely of volcanic stone, ideal for grinding and releasing flavorful oils from vegetables and spices. Like cast-iron, your molcajete bowl can go in the oven, retain heat for an hour, and it picks up flavors over time, continually enhancing the foods you’re working with. Perfect for salsa, guacamole, queso, mole, and more.

• Materials: Volcanic stone and handwoven palm leaves
• Appx. 7'' diameter

Just like cast iron, molcajetes need to be cured, or “broken in”. Small grains of the rock can loosen from the surface when it’s first used, giving your food a gritty texture. Curing helps smooth the surface.

Here’s they we recommend curing before first use:

1. Rinse the molcajete with water (or let soak in water overnight), then clean with a wire brush, or toothbrush, to get rid of surface debris and dust.
2. Place enough rice to make an even layer across the bottom of the molcajete.
3. Pour in about a tablespoon of water, then use the pestle to work the rice up and around the entire inner surface of the molcajete until the rice has formed a grey paste.
4. Rinse out the paste, and repeat the rice grinding until the resulting paste is no longer grey.
5. You can then repeat with garlic, onion, cumin seeds, rock salt, or cilantro to add a seasoned flavor before your first use.