Has anyone tried chopping fresh herbs in this grinder? Like parsley, basil, oregano thyme...? Thank you.
1003668
I would not recommend chopping fresh herbs in a grinder since they are delicate and will bruise. I would recommend using herb scissors which do an excellent job and can be washed in the dishwasher.RSVP Herb ScissorsHope this helps!
1003669
I routinely chop garlic, ginger and shallots in the Mini Mate. It does an excellent job very quickly. I usually use the larger mini prep for parsley and basil.
1003670
I think it is more trouble than it is useful. I can chop things by hand almost as fast as using this. It doesn't chop evenly. Some of the food will be almost a paste and other parts will be whole. It has to be handwashed. I hardly ever use mine.
1003671
Yes, it works reasonably well, provided you add some liquid (olive oil, for instance). Enough so the end result will be a thick paste. Otherwise, most leaves will cling to the side and will not be chopped.
1003672
I haven't tried fresh herbs, just nuts and seeds. But I think it would do great because the blade is extremely sharp. This is a great product, I own 2 of them!
537171
Be really careful with this tool because the blades are sharp. The process to cutting the herbs and spices is to roll the blades back and forth. I cut cilantro with it but honestly I could have done just as well with scissors. As far as dried spices, I have not used it for those but, if you press down hard enough and roll the tool, it should work. You could do just as well with a mortar set for grinding up spices.
533852
I did because the herbs settle at the bottom but it does not make the flavor any stronger. The flavor is already infused. It's just a habit.
450052
If you're going to use an electric grinder for your ...herbs... I suggest a smaller handheld-style grinder, this type : http://i.imgur.com/foRBisx.jpg - almost no waste. The Cuisinart is full of moving parts for powder and leaves to get stuck.
1309175
I wouldn't recommend using the same grinder for spices and coffee. You may be able to clean this one, but not good enough to switch back and forth from spices to coffee. I wash the removable cup with dish soap and wipe the blade with a damp paper towel.
1528541
No, it doesn't even really chop. Not quite a grind but not a chop either. I bought it to chop raw meat for my dogs and gave up on it.
397951
I don't know if I can completely answer your question, but I'll say what I can. While I'm not a professional chef, I've used it to foam several times with the standard SS blade attachment. I've also used the food processor to chop nuts, but with quite varied results in size. I've never tried grinding anything as I have a small coffee grinder that I've dedicated for spice grinding that does an excellent job. I would still recommend this product to anyone interested! Hope that helps!
1658608
No, I have only used it for coffee. I think that grinding moist substances, like ginger and garlic, would not work well unless it was fully loaded. I wouldn't do this with my mine.
490359
It is designed to be a grinder not a little blender so i wouldn't risk it. Would it not be just as easy to add water.? I see you have an indian name so you are likely to have a pestle and mortar to wet-grind by hand affter dry grinding?
215432
I have found that you have to cut onions into small pieces in order to get them to chop easily. I haven't chopped parsley, although I have chopped cilantro along with the onions and it did the job easily. The only other things I have chopped so far are tomatoes and jalapeno peppers for salsa. I had to cut the tomatoes into small pieces to make the chopping easier, especially if I want to chop the onions, cilantro, tomatoes and jalapeno peppers all at the same time. So far I have not tried to chop any other kinds of veggies in this machine.
179571
I concur with all other replies. Depress the black top gently and twist to release. Simply press to dice. I find it to best for garlic and herbs. Honestly, it doesn't compare to a mini Cuisinart, but it is a fraction if the price. I've also used a $10 mini proctor silex electric chopper with excellent results.
2062085
Just regular black peppercorns is what I use. Try loosing the brass nut at the top. If it feels tight, then it won't grind. It should be a little loose.
916890
Only dry spices. I used to grind fresh ginger & sometimes herbs -- not a good move. Eventually the moisture gets into the interior. Use a mini food processor for fresh ginger or grind by hand (the Japanese graters with the little teeth that hold the stringy bits back are excellent) & mix your ground dry spices into it.
1225757
I suppose it depends on the consistency you desire. The unit is designed to make fine powderish-like product from things like coffee beans, dried rice etc. If you want the herbs "chopped" this is probably not the right product.
330380
Nice! I haven't tried sesame seeds yet. I imagine there wouldn't be an issue. Anything I've put in the grinder that would be comparable has been ground without issue.
837328
I have had trouble with mine also I would choose another manufacture pepper grinder next time. I also purchased the salt grinder, while both look great it doesn't work well, leaves salt on counter after a grind. For the price was a disappointment.
537167
I have only used it for fresh herbs and it is AWESOME! I can't imagine why it wouldn't work as well on spices.Be REALLY careful using and cleaning this as the blades are extremely sharp. That is why this works so wonderfully though.