Move over mixer-grinder: Why chefs still choose the ‘shil nora’ when flavour matters most

Before the whirr of the mixer-grinder took over our kitchens, the rhythm of shil nora or sil batta could be heard grinding fresh spices, herbs and pastes by hand to unlock their true flavours. A few houses still stick by the traditional methods. Although modern appliances have made cooking faster and easier, some chefs say that when it comes to flavour, the humble grinding stone is still preferred. My Kolkata asked chefs the reason the traditional method is finding a space in our modern kitchens.

Stone retains the aroma

For chef consultant Sujan Mukherjee, the shil nora represents India's culinary traditions. He points out that traditional recipes were designed around stone grinding, which holds the flavours intact.

"High-speed electric grinder generates heat, and some aromas get lost, but in sil batta, no heat is generated, and aromas are preserved. In any traditional, authentic culinary preparation, chefs prefer sil batta or stone grinding. Many South and Pan-India families also prefer sil batta and use it daily," said Mukherjee.

His connection to the kitchen tool is also personal. Childhood memories of masalas being ground in his mother's kitchen continue to linger in his memory. Thus, he still prefers the stone grinder for traditional cooking methods.

Stone crushes, grinder cuts

The difference, chefs say, is especially noticeable in spices and ingredients where essential oils play a key role. Crushing rather than cutting allows flavours to develop differently. In a grinder, the ingredients are not crushed like on a shil nora.

Chef Oindrila Bala explains siting cumin seeds as an example. “The way cumin releases its oils is different when it is ground on a sil batta, so the flavours are more pronounced. The blades in a mixer grinder cut through,” she said. The same, she adds, applies to Bengali staples such as posto bata and mustard paste.

Yet the chef points out the realistic side of modern-day demands of contemporary life. While she acknowledges the flavour advantage of stone grinding, she admits the convenience of an electric grinder often wins. “Nobody has the time to sit and grind spices and chilli paste anymore. Even at home, we mostly use mixers because convenience overtakes flavour.”

Culinary lessons learnt through Shil Nora

For chef Ankita Dujari, the sil batta teaches patience beyond taste. “When you crush spices and garlic on a stone, you release oils more gently and build layers of texture. That subtle difference turns food from efficient to unforgettable,” she said.

Her appreciation for the sil batta comes from lessons learned in her grandmother's kitchen. The rhythmic motion of grinding, she recalls, taught her that flavour develops through care and attention rather than speed. “My grandmother taught me how to hold the stone, how to press and roll, how to listen to the rhythm of grinding. She would say that you could tell a cook’s patience by how they press the blade of a knife or the weight they give a pounded masala. Under her hands, I learned that flavour is not hurried, it is earned,” she explained.

Nostalgia of childhood and Kolkata

For British-Bengali chef Rinku Dutt, the sil batta remains her first choice.

“The gentle grinding of stone against the ingredients creates a paste with a texture and flavour that metal blades just can’t replicate. For years, I wondered why I couldn’t replicate the taste of dishes I’d eaten in Kolkata—until I started using a sil batta myself!” said the founder of street food venture, Raastawala in London.

It was more of nostalgia for her that connected her to her roots. “I use it whenever I have time on the weekends, though the blender usually wins on convenience. But I love keeping this tradition alive. Every time I use it, I’m reminded of my Dida, and the wonderful flavours of my childhood holidays that I spent in Kolkata,” she said.

The science behind stone grinding

Chef trainer Subhadip Saha of IHM Kolkata says the biggest advantage of the shil nora lies in its slow, cold grinding process, which helps preserve the natural characteristics of ingredients.

“Shil nora is always recommended for its cold press, slow technique, which retains the maximum amount of natural and essential oils and aromas from spices and herbs,” said Saha. He added that it is indispensable for eastern Indian favourites such as bharta and makha, where the coarse texture created by a stone grinder cannot be replicated by the fast-spinning blades of an electric mixer.

Even in professional kitchens, however, practicality comes into play. “For bulk professional catering, sometimes we need to compromise because of time constraints and use food processors or mixer grinders,” he said.