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How to Season and Clean Your Stone Mortar (Kalvam) for a Lifetime of Flavor
New stone mortar owner? Learn the simple 3-step process to season your Kalvam and keep it clean for a lifetime of authentic, potent spice flavors.
The stone mortar and pestle (Kalvam) is the ultimate kitchen heirloom—a powerful tool that will deliver superior flavor for decades. Unlike a stainless steel gadget, however, a natural stone tool requires a simple, yet crucial, step before its first use: seasoning.
This process is not complicated, but it is vital. It prepares your mortar for a lifetime of clean, potent flavor. If you’ve just invested in a NOMZ Kalvam, follow this easy guide to get started, and learn the golden rule for keeping it clean every day.
Part 1: Why Seasoning Your Kalvam is Essential
A brand new, hand-carved stone mortar may release microscopic amounts of stone sediment (dust) from the carving process. If you skip seasoning, this dust could mix with your first batch of spices.
Seasoning achieves two things:
- Cleansing: It uses friction (from rice) to scrub out any remaining dust or grit from the surface texture.
- Sealing: It prepares the stone’s pores for true spices, ensuring they are ready to absorb potent aromatics without retaining unwanted odors.
The 3-Step NOMZ Seasoning Process
This entire process should only take about 30 minutes and guarantees your Kalvam is ready for use.
Step 1: The Initial Scrub (Water Only)
- Rinse: Use only plain, warm water and a stiff nylon brush or clean scourer (do NOT use soap).
- Scrub: Scrub the entire interior and exterior surface of the mortar and the pestle thoroughly to remove any loose debris.
- Dry: Let both pieces air dry completely.
Step 2: The Curing (The Rice Grind)
This step cleans out the fine stone dust.
- Add Plain Rice: Place a small handful of plain, dry white rice into the mortar.
- Grind to Powder: Grind the rice using the pestle until it is reduced to a fine powder.
- Inspect: The powder will likely appear grey or gritty—this is the stone dust! Discard this powder immediately.
- Repeat: Repeat this step 2-3 more times until the ground rice powder remains completely white. Once it’s white, the mortar is cured!
Step 3: The Seasoning (The Flavor Infusion)
Now, we prepare the mortar for flavor.
- Ingredients: Add 4 peeled cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon of coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns.
- Grind: Grind all ingredients together until you have a thick, fragrant paste.
- Rub & Rest: Rub this aromatic paste into the interior of the mortar bowl and along the pestle. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Final Rinse: Scrape out the paste and rinse the mortar thoroughly with plain warm water. Do not use soap. Let it air dry completely.
Your NOMZ Kalvam is now seasoned, infused with aromatics, and ready for your recipes!
Part 2: Daily Cleaning and Maintenance (The Golden Rule)
Maintaining your stone mortar is surprisingly simple, provided you follow the one cardinal rule:
The Golden Rule: NEVER use dish soap or detergent on your stone mortar.
Stone is porous. If you use soap, the stone will absorb the soapy residue and contaminate the flavor of every ingredient you grind afterwards (garlic pesto that tastes like lemon detergent? No thanks!).
The Daily Cleaning Method:
- Immediate Rinse: Immediately after use, scrape out the contents (use your FREE Silicone Spatula!) and rinse the mortar and pestle under hot running water.
- Scrub with Brush: Use a stiff brush (a dedicated scrub brush is ideal) and plain hot water to scrub away all paste residue.
- Heavy Odors: For strong odors like large amounts of raw garlic or chilies, grind a small amount of salt and water together in the mortar. The salt acts as a natural deodorizer.
- Air Dry: Shake off excess water and allow the pieces to air dry completely before storing.
Invest a few minutes in seasoning and proper cleaning, and your NOMZ Kalvam will reward you with superior flavor for many years to come!
Unlock Your Next Flavor Adventure Today
Now that you know how easy it is to maintain your stone mortar, there’s nothing holding you back from authentic flavor.