Saving a Spice Grinder, and small batch pastes

I make a fair amount of dishes at home that call for a wet paste - Indian dishes that start with ginger chilies garlic, a chimichurri sauce, anchovy and garlic base, etc. The amount is to little for the blades of my Vitamix or Breville food processor. I have work bowl inserts for the Breville but it's a massive pain and doesn't work well for small amounts. I don't want to add oil or liquid most times. In a fit of frustration I put my onion and garlic in my spice grinder, swearing I would throw it out after and buy one of the little processers I saw in Indian home kitchens. That didn't work either, so now: 1) what is a good wet/dry small volume tool for these pastes? About 2 C max. 2)how can I save my original spice/coffee grinder? Just has half-hacked onion in it. submitted by /u/witchyswitchstitch