Show us your vegetable prep

[haresfur]

There has been discussion on the best way to dice an onion and even an old reference on classical techniques for dicing etc. My thought is that it would be fun and useful to see what other people are doing. Perhaps it is a way to get a better result, a fancier result, or how you do things more easily or faster. Do you like to make beautiful radish roses? Show us!

 

As a starting example, I have had problems with stir frying carrot slices. They stick to the pan and it is hard for me to get them to flip around. My current method is based on some illustrations from the old hippie Tasahara Cookbook. When I looked it up, I couldn't really tell from the illustrations what exactly was going on, so here's what I do. The idea is to get somewhat rounder wedge-shaped and pretty pieces that roll around better while cooking. I call it the pencil cut.

 

You make a slice on the diagonal through the centre of the carrot, twist it around and make a slice through the centre again, twist slice, etc. I start with the bottom of the carrot and a fairly acute angle. As the carrot gets fatter I bring the knife out to form a shallower point and this keeps the pieces a similar size to the first ones. I have a lot of fun with this (ok, I'm easily amused). Here's an example:

 

[Kerala]

@haresfurThis sounds like Rangiri cutting technique.

 

I came upon it down some eGullet-inspired rabbit hole. It lets you have uneven but similarly sized pieces. I use it in stews because it just looks nicer than boring old carrot coins. Funnily enough I haven't used it in stir fries, but I will now!

[haresfur]

2 hours ago, Kerala said:

@haresfurThis sounds like Rangiri cutting technique.

 

I came upon it down some eGullet-inspired rabbit hole. It lets you have uneven but similarly sized pieces. I use it in stews because it just looks nicer than boring old carrot coins. Funnily enough I haven't used it in stir fries, but I will now!

 

Cool! I have been holding the knife a bit differently but the result is about the same. Thanks.

[Alex]

3 hours ago, Kerala said:

This sounds like Rangiri cutting technique.

 

I do this, too. I think it's also called a "rolling cut." 

[Amy D.]

I cut cucumbers similarly (though angling the knife away from my hand). Not thought to with carrots but will give it a go next time.

[btbyrd]

Peps.

 

[gfweb]

@btbyrd Nice work.

 

I did expect something finer than a knife pinched from the HS cafeteria though.  😉

[haresfur]

3 hours ago, btbyrd said:

Peps.

 

 

Do you do the slices with the skin up or the skin on the board? I can't decide which is better. 

[gfweb]

21 minutes ago, haresfur said:

 

Do you do the slices with the skin up or the skin on the board? I can't decide which is better. 

 

I do skin on the board..more tolerant of a less than sharp knife

[haresfur]

5 hours ago, gfweb said:

 

I do skin on the board..more tolerant of a less than sharp knife

 

I don't like the chance of a dull knife sliding on the skin but I find that sometimes I don't get a cut completely through the skin if it is on the board.

[TdeV]

15 hours ago, btbyrd said:

 

Do these remnants go in the stock pot, @btbyrd ?

[btbyrd]

13 hours ago, haresfur said:

Do you do the slices with the skin up or the skin on the board? I can't decide which is better. 

 

It depends on the circumstance. If i am using a nice knife on a nice board, I can do it however I want and not have to worry. Especially if I'm just cooking at home. But if I'm doing half a case of peppers at once on a hard poly board with soft European steel, it usually works out best to go skin side down. The edges just don't last long enough to go skin-side up if you're cutting a bunch at once. But you can cut them skin side down forever, even with a dull knife.

 

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

 

Do these remnants go in the stock pot, @btbyrd ?

 

Compost. There's a lot of bitter stuff in the seeds and ribs that aren't delicious 

 

13 hours ago, gfweb said:

@btbyrd Nice work.

 

I did expect something finer than a knife pinched from the HS cafeteria though.  😉

 

Haha... you should have seen the horror show blades that everyone else in that kitchen used. I had to go out and buy a NSF-certified beater so I didn't have to use their garbage house knives. And I'll tell you what... it's hard to get a better value for your money than a 10" Victorinox Fibrox for $30 on eBay. 

[gfweb]

@btbyrd what was t he occasion for this chop-a-thon?

[btbyrd]

Working the salad bar station. Red bell time was my moment of zen. 

[btbyrd]

Then came the f***ing onions.

[dcarch]

😄 This is how I cut my carats. 

 

dcarch 

 

[TdeV]

And how exactly do you cut them, @dcarch ?

[Shel_B]

FWIW, I came across this video a couple of days ago: