Many people consider cutting vegetables to be the least important step in cooking, but this is not the case. Good knife skills not only determine the difficulty of cooking but can even affect the nutritional value of the dish. Here are a few tips to make cutting vegetables easier.
I. Round Slices
Start from the beginning of the ingredient, leave a certain thickness, and then cut.
II. Half-Moon Slices
Cut the ingredient vertically in half from the middle, then process it by leaving a certain thickness, just like the method for round slices.
III. Duck Foot Shape
Vertically divide the ingredient into four parts, and again, leave a certain thickness for processing.
IV. Thick Cubes
From the top of the ingredient to the cut, the length should be about 3-4 cm.
V. Diagonal Slices
This method is suitable for long, thin vegetables and looks better after processing.
VI. Thin Slices
Also suitable for long, thin ingredients. Choose a suitable length and cut horizontally into thin slices. This way, the vegetables will absorb flavor more easily.
VII. Thick Blocks
Control the thickness of the cut ingredient to 4-5 cm, then make another cut 1 cm below the first cut, and continue this process.
VIII. Book Shape
Cut the ingredient to a thickness of 4-5 cm, then make another cut 1 cm from the first cut, and continue slicing thinly from there.
IX. Sticks
Stack the sliced ingredients and cut from one end.
X. Dices
Continue processing the stick-shaped ingredient by cutting from the beginning.
XI. Random Chopping
Cut the diagonally cut ingredient in half from the middle, then cut again from the opposite direction. Also, be sure to cut diagonally throughout the process.
Tips for Cutting Various Vegetables to Preserve Nutrients:
1. Smart Cutting for Sticky Foods. First, cut a few slices of radish, then cut the sticky food. The radish juice will prevent it from sticking to the knife and the results will look better.
2. Smart Cutting for Fatty Meat. When cutting fatty meat, a lot of fat will render out. This makes it difficult to keep the meat stable on the cutting board, causing the knife to slip and potentially cut your hand. It also makes it hard to control the size of the pieces. You can dip the fatty meat in cold water before cutting, and sprinkle cold water while cutting. This saves effort and prevents the meat from sliding.
3. Smart Cutting for Fish. Fish has a delicate texture and short fibers, so it breaks easily. Therefore, when cutting, place the fish skin-side down, angle the knife, and try to cut in the direction of the fish bones. Also, cut the fish cleanly and decisively so that it retains its shape after cooking.
4. Smart Cutting for Lamb. Lamb has a lot of membranes, which become hard and unpleasant in texture after cooking. So, remove these membranes before cutting the lamb.
5. Smart Cutting for Beef. Beef has a lot of sinew. To prevent long strands of sinew from remaining in the meat, it's best to cut against the grain.
6. Smart Cutting for Pork Liver. Pork liver should be cut just before cooking. If left for a while after cutting, nutrients will be lost, and many granules will form on the slices after stir-frying. After slicing fresh liver, quickly mix it with seasonings and starch solution, and cook it as soon as possible.