A mortar and pestle are the two tools your kitchen is missing.

Read to find out how to use them and the best ones to shop.

Enter: the mortar and pestle.

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Your meal tastes better after a little elbow grease, no?

What is a mortar and pestle?

A mortar and pestle is a two-piece cooking tool designed to mash whatevers put into it.

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trainer and performance chef withCentr

Simple in nature, its no wonder that the mortar and pestle has been around since the stone age.

They have been used in the kitchen for centuries, she exclaims.

From a use standpoint, Maeng says that mortars and pestles were first believed to be used for grindingspices.

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But can a modern tool replace it?

As Santos sees it, mortars and pestles are singular.

It also allows for creating small batches or preparing items in small amounts.

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Churchill agrees, calling out the control a mortar and pestle gives a chef.

you’ve got the option to control the consistency of yourmix, he says.

Plus, they make the best curry pastes.

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trainer and performance chef withCentr

And, according to Maeng, theres likely a reason for that.

When it comes to choosing which mortar and pestle to use, it depends on what Im making.

Ready to add one to your own kitchen?

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Choose among the top-rated mortars and pestles, below.

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a photo of a green sheet pan and a silver skillet on a space-y background

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