Introduction: Basic Knife Skills
There's no need to take a chefs course to learn how to use a knife properly, as long as you know how to hold a knife, you can cut all sorts of foods neatly and professionally, follow these simple steps and you can cut foods with ease and without cutting off your fingers, which is always good.
Always use a sharp knife as they can cut through the food with ease and wont slip and cut you as would a blunt knife.
If your chopping board slips while you are cutting a handy tip is to put a damp cloth underneath.
In this instructable i'll show you a method to dice an onion using a technique I call The Claw, this method shows you how to hold your food so you wont injure yourself.
I'll also show you how to roughly chop a mushroom.
Always use a sharp knife as they can cut through the food with ease and wont slip and cut you as would a blunt knife.
If your chopping board slips while you are cutting a handy tip is to put a damp cloth underneath.
In this instructable i'll show you a method to dice an onion using a technique I call The Claw, this method shows you how to hold your food so you wont injure yourself.
I'll also show you how to roughly chop a mushroom.
Step 1: Method One - the Claw!
In order to cut food without cutting off some of your digits, one of the easiest ways to remember how to safely cut is The CLAW!
The Claw is a way to hold the food you are cutting and tucking the tip of your middle finger inwards so that the blade is guided with your knuckle and your ring and index finger's are holding the food, and the thumb is guiding the food towards the blade, depending on what you are cutting. This way your finger tips will not be in the way of the blade and neatly tucked away.
To hold the blade properly make sure your fingers are tightly wrapped around the handle, and the thumb and index finger near or on the blade.
The Claw is a way to hold the food you are cutting and tucking the tip of your middle finger inwards so that the blade is guided with your knuckle and your ring and index finger's are holding the food, and the thumb is guiding the food towards the blade, depending on what you are cutting. This way your finger tips will not be in the way of the blade and neatly tucked away.
To hold the blade properly make sure your fingers are tightly wrapped around the handle, and the thumb and index finger near or on the blade.
Step 2: Using the Claw to Cut an Onion
Ingredients and equipment
- An onion
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Damp towel if chopping board moves while chopping
Preperation
- Hold the onion with The Claw, being sure that it doesnt roll around too much.
- Cut the end of the onion off, not the end with the roots, the root end holds the onion together,so you can cut it easier.
- Peel the onion.
- Throw the peel away, preferably in the food recycle bin if you can.
- An onion
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Damp towel if chopping board moves while chopping
Preperation
- Hold the onion with The Claw, being sure that it doesnt roll around too much.
- Cut the end of the onion off, not the end with the roots, the root end holds the onion together,so you can cut it easier.
- Peel the onion.
- Throw the peel away, preferably in the food recycle bin if you can.
Step 3: Cutting the Onion
- Cut the onion in half.
- Put the onion cut side down and cut paralel with the chopping board, towards the root, but not all the way, making sure your fingers are out of the way of the blade as shown in picture 3.
- Cut the onion again paralel with chopping board but slightly lower, as shown in picture 4.
- Cut the onion towards the chopping board with the tip of the knife pointing towards the root, do this along the onion evenly,as shown in pictures 5,6 and 7.
- Cut at a 90 degree angle to last cut along the onion moving towards the root, this is the final series of cutting, shown in pictures 8 and 9.
- Put the onion cut side down and cut paralel with the chopping board, towards the root, but not all the way, making sure your fingers are out of the way of the blade as shown in picture 3.
- Cut the onion again paralel with chopping board but slightly lower, as shown in picture 4.
- Cut the onion towards the chopping board with the tip of the knife pointing towards the root, do this along the onion evenly,as shown in pictures 5,6 and 7.
- Cut at a 90 degree angle to last cut along the onion moving towards the root, this is the final series of cutting, shown in pictures 8 and 9.
Step 4: Final Product - Diced Onion
Final product, diced onion, ready to be gently fried until caramalized and added to your favourite meal, yum yum, and no fingers lost, yay.
Step 5: How to Roughly Chop
Using the same equipment as with cutting the onion, only changing the onion for a mushroom.
Put the mushroom on the chopping board and place your knife sharp side down near the mushroom, holding the tip of the blade with your fingers, this is to hold the knife down and give some control over where you are chopping.
Making sure the tip of the blade is held in place by your fingers and gently rock the blade over the mushroom, slicing through it holding the mushroom with your thumb if necessary.
Move the chopping board around so you are cutting the mushroom at a 90 degree angle and begin the process again, cutting into even smaller pieces, and voila roughly chopped mushrooms.
Put the mushroom on the chopping board and place your knife sharp side down near the mushroom, holding the tip of the blade with your fingers, this is to hold the knife down and give some control over where you are chopping.
Making sure the tip of the blade is held in place by your fingers and gently rock the blade over the mushroom, slicing through it holding the mushroom with your thumb if necessary.
Move the chopping board around so you are cutting the mushroom at a 90 degree angle and begin the process again, cutting into even smaller pieces, and voila roughly chopped mushrooms.
