foto: TikTok/@casalokha
Brilio.net - Stone mortars are still the mainstay of many people for cooking, especially in traditional Indonesian cuisine. With its rough texture, stone mortars are ideal for grinding herbs and spices. This process can produce a distinctive and authentic taste in every dish made. Although very useful, stone mortars can be a source of problems if not properly maintained.
After use, many people neglect its cleanliness. In fact, the remaining spices that stick and the moisture left behind can be a breeding ground for fungi and bacteria. As a result, the mortar that should help serve delicious dishes can actually be a threat to health.
Mold that grows on a stone mortar not only damages the quality of the ground spices, but can also cause health problems such as allergies and infections. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the mortar is always cleaned and dried properly after use. Storing the mortar in a dry place and exposed to direct sunlight can also help prevent mold growth.
In addition to preventive measures, you also have to do a maximum cleaning stage if the stone mortar is already moldy. To make it sterile and safe to use again, you can apply the trick shared by TikTok user @casalokha. Through one of the videos uploaded, he admitted to washing the mortar in a special way so that it is maximally clean .
photo: TikTok/@casalokha
As reported by BrilioFood from TikTok @casalokha on Thursday (11/21), the main thing to do is wash the mortar with dish soap. When washing, it is best to use a rough brush to scrub the mortar so that the dirt in the pores is also lifted. Rub the front and back of the mortar, then rinse until clean.
photo: TikTok/@casalokha
Next, place the mortar in a large basin. Then pour hot water over it until the mortar is completely submerged. Once it is, soak the mortar in this hot water for a few moments until the water starts to cool and the mortar can be lifted.
photo: TikTok/@casalokha
Next step, drain the mortar and dry it with a cloth. You can also dry it directly under the sun to dry it quickly. After that, deep clean the mortar with coarse salt. The method is, you simply put coarse salt on the surface of the mortar, then grind it until smooth.
photo: TikTok/@casalokha
When the salt is smooth, add lime juice. Then smooth it out by rubbing the orange peel on the surface of the mortar. Well, this lime juice functions as a natural stain remover as well as being antibacterial and antifungal. So, the mortar is more sterile and clean.
After being given salt and lime, rinse the mortar under running water. Then dry it again until it is completely dry. When it is clean and dry, the mortar is ready to be used to grind spices or various food ingredients. It is guaranteed that the processed food ingredients will be free from contamination because there is no mold and the mortar is more sterile to use.
(brl/mal)
