Almires is the Filipino word for "stone mortar", a kitchen implenent for pounding or grinding spices manually.
Almires is a Filipino kitchen implement used for manually pounding or grinding spices. It is known as a "stone mortar," as it is typically made of stone and has a wide, flat bottom with a tall, cylindrical shape. Here are some examples of how almires is used in Filipino cuisine:
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Pounding herbs and spices: Almires is commonly used for pounding fresh herbs and spices to release their flavors and aromas. It is often used to make traditional Filipino condiments, such as "bagoong" (fermented fish paste) or "siling labuyo" (spicy chili pepper).
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Grinding rice: Almires can also be used to grind rice into a fine powder, which is then used to make "suman" (rice cake) or "puto" (steamed rice cake).
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Crushing nuts: Almires is also used for crushing nuts, such as peanuts or cashews, to make a paste that is used in various Filipino dishes, such as "kare-kare" (a peanut-based stew) or "ginataan" (a coconut milk-based dessert).
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Mashing vegetables: Almires can also be used for mashing vegetables, such as "lumpiang ubod" (a spring roll made with shredded coconut heart).
Almires is an important tool in traditional Filipino cooking, as it allows for the manual grinding and pounding of ingredients, which can result in a more flavorful and aromatic final dish. It requires a bit of physical effort to use, but many Filipino cooks believe that the labor is worth it for the superior taste and texture that can be achieved.