Indian Kharal or Chutney Grinder

Thick-walled basin with a crusty dark exterior and a surprisingly tidy rectangular pocket inside.

This stone kharal or chutney grinder is from India, and dates to the 20th century. It is jaisalmer stone. A kharal is a stone mortar used in Indian kitchens, in which spices, herbs and chutneys are ground by hand with a heavy stone pestle. Squat, six-sided basin with a heavily pitted dark brown outer surface and an orange-tinged rim. The interior has a smooth oval hollow with a raised rectangular ledge at the back. The edges are chunky and slightly uneven. It is 7.5 inches wide, 4.5 deep and 3.6 high.

Rough on the outside, neat where it counts.