How to Tell if Molcajete Is Cement or Lava Rock

Molcajete is a Spanish term for "mortar." Along with the term "tejolote," "molcajete" refers to a dark black mortar and pestle used to grind spices and herbs and to mix salsa and mole. The word itself comes from two Aztec terms: "molli" meaning sauce and "caxitl" meaning bowl. A true molcajete is made from basalt, a type of volcanic rock. Sometimes, individuals will attempt to pass off a fake molcajete, made from cement, as a real molcajete. Learn a few simple tricks to help you tell the difference.

Things You'll Need

Molcajete and tejolote
Fresh, diced tomatoes and chili peppers

Dry, white rice

Instructions

Place a handful of fresh, diced tomatoes and chili peppers into the molcajete. Use the tejolote, or pestle, to grind the diced tomato mixture in the bowl.
Look for grit to begin to mix into the tomato mixture from the molcajete to verify that it is made from volcanic rock and not cement. Only lava rock will cause grit to break off into the tomato mixture upon first use. If no grit comes off into the tomato mixture, the bowl is most likely made from cement and is not a true molcajete.
Smell the molcajete after about ten minutes for a scent of sulfur, which is another indication that the molcajete is authentic.
Dump out the tomatoes and prepare the molcajete for continued use if you do notice grit in the tomatoes, as it is a true molcajete. Wash and scrub the inside of the bowl and pestle with water and a stiff brush. Place it upside down on a counter to air-dry.
Season the molcajete. Place a handful of dry, uncooked white rice into the molcajete. Grind it into the bowl with the tejolote until the rice turns gray or ash-colored. Discard the rice and repeat the grinding with more rice until no more grit is released and the ground rice remains white.

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