Crushing Peppercorns Without a Grinder

The easiest way to crush peppercorns without a grinder is to seal them in a zip bag or fold them in a clean cloth and press hard with a rolling pin. A mortar and pestle gives the most control over coarseness, the flat of a heavy knife works for a few corns, and short pulses in a dry mixie jar handle bigger batches.

Five ways to crush peppercorns at home

1. Mortar and pestle, for the most control

An ural, a kallu or any mortar and pestle does the best job, because you can stop right at the coarseness you want.

1. Add about a teaspoon of peppercorns at a time.
2. Cup your free hand loosely over the top so corns don't jump out.
3. Press and twist with the pestle rather than pounding hard.

2. Rolling pin and a bag, the easiest option

1. Put the peppercorns in a small zip bag, or fold them inside a clean kitchen towel.
2. Tap them a few times with the end of the rolling pin (chapati belan) to crack them.
3. Roll firmly back and forth until they're as coarse or fine as you want.

This gives good coarse pepper for pepper chicken, egg dishes and salads.

3. The flat of a heavy knife, for a few corns

Put a few peppercorns on a chopping board. Press down hard with the flat of a wide knife, the way you'd crush garlic, then rock the blade over them. Quick, and no extra washing up.

4. A heavy pan or steel tumbler

Spread the peppercorns on a board, set a heavy pan or the base of a thick steel tumbler on top, and press while moving it in small circles. Works well for a coarse crush.

5. Mixie, for bigger batches

Use a small, completely dry jar and short pulses of a second or two. Long runs heat the pepper and turn it to fine powder, and some aroma goes with that heat.

How coarse should you crush pepper?

How much should you crush at once?

Only what you'll use in the next few days. Whole peppercorns hold their aroma for a long time, but once crushed, the smell fades quickly even though the heat stays. Crushing a spoonful fresh each time takes under a minute with any of the methods above.

A small trick that helps

Warm the peppercorns in a dry pan on low heat for about 30 seconds, shaking the pan, then let them cool for a minute before crushing. They break more easily and smell stronger. Don't let them smoke, or they'll turn bitter.

Mistakes to avoid

• Pounding too hard. Pepper flies everywhere. Press and roll instead.
• Using a damp jar or spoon. Moisture makes crushed pepper clump and go stale faster.
• Running the mixie too long. You get hot, dusty powder instead of fragrant pieces.
• Crushing a month's supply at once. You lose the whole reason you bought whole pepper.

Where to use it first

Freshly crushed pepper is the whole point of our Kerala pepper chicken and makes a clear difference in pepper rasam. If you're choosing peppercorns, our Kerala black pepper buyer's guide explains what to look for. Our own Kerala black pepper is sold whole, from Idukki.