Traditional Japanese Knife Techniques

[Jon Savage]

The Japanese knife thread over here is starting to diverge into discussing resources around learning traditional techniques. I'm acutely interested in delving deeper into this topic and thought this might be a good place to ask.

I currently have an Usuba, Deba and Yanagiba. Armed with these and a copy of Japanese Kitchen Knives: Essential Techniques and Recipes I hope to become proficient (over time of course). I'm finding Katsuramuki to be a terrifically difficult method; one step at a time I guess.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Katsuramuki is one of the things I always enjoy watching when the sushi chefs are between orders. You can tell the younger guys are always practicing. I saw a sushi demo by a very skilled chef, and he said there are people in competitions who make very long sheets of daikon, but for practical purposes, it only makes sense to make them as long as your available cutting surface.

I've tried it with my Western knives, and it does take a lot of concentration.

Edited August 22, 2009 by David A. Goldfarb (log)

[_john]

it takes about a year to make usable katsuramuki. you can use a usuba or a thin western style knife. if you are interested in mukimono (decorative and practical vegetable cutting) then you might want to buy a mukimonobocho. here is a good book that comes with a dvd: むきもの入門

[Jon Savage]

Tonight's Katsuramuki session with Usuba vs. Daikon was better- I'm not there yet but things are feeling like something's about to click. Part of my issue is having hands and fingers so close to a blade that sharp. Definitely not a recommended activity after a martini or two.

Thanks _John for the link. I don't think this will be a fast process either. Good thing we like Daikon; a years worth of discarded experiments is sure to challenge my creativity!

Edited August 22, 2009 by 6ppc (log)

[Hiroyuki]

I recently bought a Shigefusa nakiri in an effort to improve my knife skills, and natually, katsuramuki is one of the skills I need to master. It is important to note that katsuramuki is just a basic skill, not an ultimate goal. Tsuji wrote in his famous book, Japanee Cooking: A Simple Art, "Peeling a giant white radish (daikon) into a single, continuous sheet is good practice for controling the knife. In fact, at the Tsuji school, aptitude for the kitchen is judged by how well entering students can perform this task."

It may be a good idea to provide links to websites that explains Japanese knife techniques, some of which have already linked to here and there on eGullet.

Let me start first:

Japanese Cuisine Basic Techniques

[Jon Savage]

Thanks Hiroyuki, those links are helpful.

in particular is amazing. This will be a fun experiment.

You've got a beautiful Nakiri (to my eye it looks more like an Usuba re: the single beveled edge).

I'm aware that katsuramuki is a basic skill but one that is quite alien to one more used to western knives and skills. I won't touch my Deba until I can manage a few core Usuba skills first (silly perhaps but I really want to learn these knives one at a time). I *could* cut daikon planks thin enough to produce passable ken but that would be no fun! The katsuramuki technique also produces less waste once mastered.

Nice article linked to from Hiroyuki's blog.

Edited August 24, 2009 by 6ppc (log)

[Jon Savage]

I'm aware that katsuramuki is a basic skill but one that is quite alien to one more used to western knives and skills. I won't touch my Deba until I can manage a few core Usuba skills first (silly perhaps but I really want to learn these knives one at a time).

OK I lied.

Broke out the deba today to debone and butcher a big hunk of BlueFin my wife scored today (she works in Fish Harbor). It too was a pleasure to use and capable of remarkably precise, even delicate, cuts.

The yanigiba sahshimified™ the tuna effortlessly.

The Usuba was of course involved in the Daikon and Gobo Salad.

I love these knives.

Edited August 26, 2009 by 6ppc (log)

[helenjp]

Nakiri and Usuba are very often used interchangeably (as much regional as anything) though a nakiri is not usually single-edged.

I think if I'm going to use a double-edged nakiri, I might just as well use a good-sized, well-balanced all-purpose knife such as a santoku/bannou/funayuki etc.

[coquus]

I have always tried to do this when making kappa maki. It's probably harder to do with my chef's knife, someday I will get it though! Not being Japanese, I really find the usefulness of these two knives sort of limited, and I'm not convinced I need to have this knife to do this.