Ammikallu also spelled Ammi Kallu refers to the stone grinder used in India, particularly in the state of Kerala, south of India to grind spices that comes also with a stone pestle. It is traditionally used by Indian housewives to grind their spices until it becomes a thick paste or until it reach the right consistency.

Ammikallu is not like the other stone or wooden mortar and pestle used by other countries, like we have in the Philippines where the spices and other foods are pounded to extract a juice (heads of shrimps are pounded for its juice) or to pound the spices to make it in powder form. Ammikallu is used to grind spices.

Spices also coconut meat are put on top of the flat rectangular stone grinder and then a cylindrical stone pestle is used to grind the spices back and forth until they became a thick paste.

I was so lucky to have witnessed how some housewives in Allepey, Kerala, India used the Ammikallu to grind their spices to make a Thoran, Aviyal and other traditional foods. From some houses I visited in Kerala to be taught how they cook their traditional foodsand how they use their spices, I witnessed that still most of the them prefer to use the Ammikallu to prepare the spices they need to cook their lovely dishes.

Below, I am sharing you, my experience how one Indian housewife used Ammikallu. Honestly, I am happy that these housewives still prefer the traditional method/way of grinding their spices and cooking their food no matter how much time they spent until the ground spices reach its right consistency and until they finished cooking their dishes and serve to their families.