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ABOUT HERB GRINDING
Certain leaves, stems, seeds, pods and roots can be ground in the Vitamix® machine’s dry
blade container without diculty. Degree of hardness, moisture, oil content, flavour and
odour should be considered when deciding whether to grind in the machine. Use your
best judgement when grinding these items. Some spices have volatile oils that attack the
container (such as cloves). Others have strong odours that linger in the container long
after the herb has been ground, ultimately aecting the flavour of subsequent foods
prepared in the container.
Grinding certain herbs and spices in the dry blade container will result in cosmetic
marring of the container and may cause the blades to wear and become dull. Wash
seaweed and plant roots to remove all traces of sand. Chinese herbs are coarse, gritty
and abrasive, and will cause the blades to wear down.
Chef’s Tip: the best process for grinding varies with each plant. Experiment to get
the desired results. Small seeds such as poppy seeds, te and quinoa grind best in larger
quantities (230–300g) on High speed, because they are light and blow around in the
container. We have found that dried chickpeas do not fully grind up and must be sifted
before use. For best results, peel horseradish and cut into 2.5cm chunks and chop on
Variable 5.
grinding in the dry blade container
103308_VITAMIX_CJR_01_16_12.indd 28 1/16/12 3:52 PM
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