As an everyday cook, the task of chopping vegetables, herbs, and fruits to get started with your meal is quite a task at hand. Sometimes, in Indian kitchens, this can be a bit of a chore because most recipes require finely chopped ingredients. Therefore, be it preparation for a curry, sabzi, or even chutney, chopping efficiently makes the time spent in the kitchen much more enjoyable. If you have ever struggled to get even slices or have spent too much time chopping an onion, you're not alone. All home cooks need a few chopping hacks to make this task go a little faster. The good news is that with correct techniques and tips, food preparation can be simplified and make cooking easier and more fun. Presented here are some chopping hacks that would make daily cooking very easy and are specifically meant for the Indian kitchen.
Sharp Knife
A sharp knife is a cook's best friend. Not only does it make chopping easier and faster, but it also gives cleaner cuts. Dull knives slip and may cause accidents, and they require more force from you, making the task at hand even harder. Always have your knife sharpened either on a honing rod or with a sharpener, especially when you have to deal with big sets of vegetables.
The Onion Hack: Chill Before Chopping
If you find yourself tearing up while chopping onions, try refrigerating them for 10-15 minutes before chopping. Cold onions release less of the irritating compounds when they are cut, reducing eye irritation. This hack is literally a lifesaver, especially when preparing any Indian dish that calls for such fine chopping of onions.
Use the "Claw" Grip for Safety
While chopping, remember to curl your fingertips and have a "claw" type hold on the ingredient. This helps save your fingers from the blade of the knife and also helps improve the degree of control you exert. It is something which has to be done while slicing vegetables like tomatoes or onions, as one needs to have perfect precision in such cuts.
Slice Tomatoes with a Serrated Knife
Slicing tomatoes is quite a delicate process with just a regular knife, since their skin is pretty fragile and hence leads to squished slices. A serrated knife is best used for tomatoes because of its saw-like edges; it acts like a claw on the surface, making neat and clean cuts. This is quite necessary when preparing Indian salads such as kachumber or even tomato chutneys.
Peel Garlic Quickly with a Smash
Peeling garlic is sometimes such a pain, but here's a quick hack: stick the garlic clove under your knife's blade and give it a firm press with the heel of your hand. The skin loosens in an instant, and you can peel it off easily. A very useful technique when you have to use many cloves in Indian curries.
Stack and Slice Herbs
Chiffonade is a bit fiddly to do with herbs like coriander or mint. Speed up the job by stacking the leaves on top of one another, rolling into a tight bundle, and slicing through. This chiffonade method provides finely cut herbs in no time for sprinkling over biryani, raita, and even salads.
Batch-chop Vegetables
Whenever one is chopping big quantities of vegetables, do it in batches instead of taking just one at a time. In other words, stack several carrots or cucumbers and chop a few together. This trick saves a lot of time and keeps the choppings uniform, especially for recipes like sabzi or mixed vegetable curry in Indian cuisine.
Slice Using a Mandoline
A mandoline is great for uniformly thin slices. Whether it be for preparing aloo bhujiya or slicing cucumbers for a salad, this helps you to get even slices each and every time without slicing each piece manually.
Freeze Ingredients
Freeze ingredients for 20-30 minutes before chopping in case the things to be chopped are soft, like paneer or chicken. It firms up the product and makes chopping easy to give clean cuts. This hack works amazingly when one is preparing dishes like paneer tikka or chicken curry.
Grate Vegetables to Save Time
Grate the vegetables like carrots, cabbage, or even onions, which are required in some dishes like kofta or vegetable paratha. Grating gives you finely shredded pieces without the effort of chopping, mainly when the recipe calls for adding them in batters or doughs.