Suribachi (Mortar)
Japanese: すり鉢（すりばち）
Traditional tool for mashing soybeans. Used with a wooden pestle (surikogi).
Suribachi is a ceramic mortar with fine grooves inside, used with a wooden pestle to mash or grind ingredients. Used to mash soybeans in small batches.
Slower than a food processor, but the advantage is fine-tuning texture by hand feel. Especially suited for leaving coarser chunks for texture. The tactile sensation of hand-mashing is also part of the miso-making experience. When grooves wear shallow, it is time for a new one. A good suribachi crushes food without excessive force. For small batches or hands-on experiences with children, a mortar transmitting tactile feedback is the ideal tool.