Tools & utensils
The Mehraz: Morocco's Brass Mortar and Pestle
The mehraz is the heavy mortar and pestle at the heart of a Moroccan kitchen, most often cast in solid brass and prized for the ringing sound it makes as cooks pound garlic, spices and herbs. Crushing rather than chopping releases oils and aromas that a blade or blender cannot, which is why the mehraz endures even in modern homes.
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- Tools & utensils
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- 19 July 2026
At a glance
- The classic mehraz is heavy cast brass; wood and stone versions each suit different jobs.
- Crushing beats blending for garlic and whole spices, releasing oils a blade only bruises.
- Weight is the whole point — a light mortar skids and works you harder.
- Keep separate mortars, or clean carefully, so garlic does not haunt your spices.
Brass, wood and stone
The brass mehraz is the iconic form: dense, tall-sided and often beautifully engraved, with a matching brass pestle heavy enough to smash cloves and cinnamon bark with a few strokes. Its weight and narrow deep bowl keep ingredients contained as you pound. Brass is ideal for hard, dry spices and for wet pastes of garlic, salt and chilli.
Wooden mortars, usually turned from a single block, are lighter and gentler, better for soft aromatics and quick jobs but poor at shattering hard seeds. Stone mortars, less traditional in Morocco but common elsewhere, grind well and are easy to clean. For an all-round Moroccan kitchen, the brass mehraz is the piece to own, with a small wooden one as a handy second.
How to use it well
Technique matters more than brute strength. Add a pinch of coarse salt when pounding garlic or fresh chilli; it acts as an abrasive and helps break the fibres into a smooth paste. Work in small batches so the pestle can actually reach the ingredients, and use a mix of pounding and grinding — strike to break, then circle to grind.
- Toast first: warm whole spices in a dry pan before pounding to release more aroma.
- Salt as abrasive: a pinch helps garlic, chilli and herbs break into a paste.
- Small batches: half-fill the bowl so nothing jumps out and everything is reached.
- Pound then grind: crack hard items first, then circle the pestle to a fine texture.
Care and buying
Brass tarnishes and can react with acids, so wash the mehraz promptly with warm water, dry it well, and avoid leaving wet acidic pastes sitting in it. An occasional polish keeps engraved brass bright, though many cooks like the patina. Strong aromatics linger, so pound a little dry rice or stale bread and discard it to clear stubborn garlic or cumin between very different jobs, or keep a dedicated mortar for garlic.
When buying, lift it — heft is the mark of a good brass mehraz — and check the pestle is comfortably weighted and the bowl deep with a snug fit. Prices range from small market pieces to large engraved heirlooms. For grinding spice blends specifically, compare it with an electric grinder in our grinder vs mortar guide, and see the wider essential utensils list.
Frequently asked questions
What is a mehraz used for?
The mehraz is a heavy Moroccan mortar and pestle used to crush garlic, whole spices, chilli and herbs into pastes and powders. Pounding releases oils and aromas that chopping or blending cannot, which is why it stays central to Moroccan cooking.
Why is the Moroccan mortar made of brass?
Brass is dense and heavy, so a brass mehraz has the weight to shatter hard spices and stays put as you pound. It is also durable and can be engraved, making these mortars both practical everyday tools and decorative kitchen pieces.
How do you clean a brass mortar?
Wash it with warm water and dry it promptly, since brass can tarnish and react with acids. To clear lingering garlic or spice smells, pound a little dry rice or stale bread and discard it, or keep one mortar just for garlic.
Is a mortar and pestle better than a spice grinder?
For small amounts and for pastes of garlic, chilli and herbs, the mortar gives more control and a better texture. An electric grinder is faster for large batches of dry spice blends. Many cooks keep both and use each for what it does best.