"ian" > wrote in message
news:w6bpd.897$gH3.272@lakeread05...
> ian wrote:
>> Hi -
>>
>> I have found my Thai bottled Sehuan Pepper to be gritty, and I think its
>> little bits of stone from the mortar it was ground in.
>>
>> Does anyone have a sure-fire way of removing it? All I can think of is
>> droping it in water before use - perhaps the stone wil fall to the
>> bottom.
>>
>> A second possibility was to simmer it in oil, then strain the oil.
>>
>> Anyway, any ideas are very welcome.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> ian
>
> Well, I have my own answer to my question. The gritty sensation was from
> the seed shells, not mortar chippings. The way around it is to use a
> coffee/spice grinder to grind the peppers more finely.


Ian, I think it's the very hard black seed of the peppercorn that is
responsible, not the shells. It's preferable to remove them, but sometimes
that's hard--especially since you bought yours ground already.

The best grades have them mostly removed.

Peter