Grinding
Reducing whole spices to powder by stone, blade or mortar; the finer the grind, the faster flavour fades.
Also: milling, powdering spices, pisna, arachu
Grinding breaks seeds, bark and pods into smaller pieces, increasing surface area so flavour dissolves more quickly in the dish. It also speeds loss of aroma, since volatile oils escape from every broken cell. Tools range from a mortar to a stone slab to a blade or burr grinder; blade grinders can heat the spice and should be run in short pulses. Cooks grind in small batches, wipe the grinder with raw rice to clear lingering scent, and keep whole spices for storage. Stone grinding at low speed, used in many traditional mills, avoids overheating. Texture matters too, as coarse grind suits rubs and fine suits sauces.