And silauto, the traditional grinding stone used in making chutneys, is still a common household article.[break]
Electronic mixers, grinders and all different kinds of food processors are slowly replacing silautos in Nepali kitchens, but they haven’t been able to replace or even replicate the taste of silauto-made chutneys.
“I prefer silauto over food processor while making chutney, for the obvious reason – the taste,” says Ramita Dangol, 22, who loves homemade chutneys prepared on silauto. “Try making the same chutney in the mixer and on silauto as well, and you’ll know the difference yourself.”
Like Dangol, many silauto users say that ingredients don’t mix the same way in electronic grinders, and it takes away from the authentic taste of chutneys.
The stone silauto for mortar and lohoro for pestle, despite their heavy weight and manual labor requirement, are still in demand. The utensil shops in Mahabouddha, Ason or Janabahal areas in Kathmandu sell silautas starting at Rupees 350 and it goes up to Rs 1,500. When you shop around the cramped-up area, though, you’ll have to do bit of asking around as there are many utensil shops, and you might miss the one where you can find the silauto and lohoro combine.
One of the convenient stops to buy a tried and tested silauta-lohoro set is at Mahapal in Lalitpur by the Café de Patan Restaurant. The hundred year old store sells traditional goods like silauto, lohoro, maana, paathi, bamboo baskets and more.
“We’ve been selling silautas made of black stone and supari stone that we get from Dakshinkali,” says Rajendra Shakya, the third-generation owner of the family business. “Though mixers have come into the market, every household still needs silauto to prepare authentic Nepali food. So the demand is still high.”
The store sells oval shaped silautas of different sizes with prices ranging from Rs 500 to 10,000. The bigger ones are even used to prepare gold coating.
Good silautas last for years, even decades. With time, the stone gets smoother and easier to use. “It’s said the iron minerals in the stone is good for the spices ground on the silauto, and it also adds to the taste,” says Shakya.
Silauta’s pinne/pisne – lohoro, the smaller stone used for pounding and grinding – comes in various shapes. The ones shaped like a cylindrical cone is best used for oval-shaped silautas. Flat cuboid pinne are suited for silautas with flat surface.
As silautas are heavy, you need to choose a convenient spot to place it where you can comfortably grind spices and prepare chutneys. After using, you can clean it with lukewarm water and sponge. However, you need to clean it thoroughly with dishwashing liquid and scrubber at least once a month.
As technology has made grinding a lot easier, you obviously don’t need to rely on silautas for all grinding requirements. Many people use electronic mixers for grinding spices in huge quantity, but silautas are still used specially for preparing chutneys.
Besides, the ingredients ground in mixers can be used to prepare chutney in silautas till you have just the right consistency, texture and the taste you want. When it comes to making the zesty chutney to enjoy with your Nepali meal, the convenience of technology and the taste of tradition can definitely go hand in hand.
Related story
Reviving traditional house
