When it comes to cutting vegetables, there are some helpful tips and tricks I’d like to share with you to help you prepare the ingredients for your next recipe even faster and, most importantly, safer for your fingers.
1. Choose the appropriate knife
Use a sharp knife with a good handle for cutting vegetables.
The better the handle fits your hand, the easier and safer you can wield the knife. You will have to use less force and cutting will be easier for you.
Use a paring knife for tomatoes and zucchini.
For removing peel from carrots or cucumbers, you can use a peeler.
2. Keep your knife clean and sharp
With a clean and sharp blade, you can cut your vegetables much more precisely than with a dull knife.
The sharper the knife, the less force you need. The knife can be pushed through the vegetables without pressure. If you use the knife more like a saw, or press hard, then you should resharpen your knife.
3. Use the vegetables as soon as possible
Vegetables taste best and are freshest when you keep the storage time as short as possible.
Cut the vegetables as soon as possible after buying or picking. It is best to use the vegetables within 1 to 2 days.
4. Store the vegetables properly
Vegetables should be stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, if possible.
Carrots, cucumbers and peppers also keep at room temperature for a few days.
5. Prepare the vegetables
Wash and dry the vegetables thoroughly before cutting. If necessary, you can remove the peel with a peeler. You can cut off the ends with a kitchen knife. Remove very dirty or bad spots and seeds or cores.
6. Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces
In order to cook the vegetables evenly, you should make sure during preparation that the vegetables have been cut into equal-sized pieces. The smaller the individual pieces, the faster they cook and the easier they are to eat.
7. Do not mash the vegetables
Do not squeeze the vegetables too hard while removing the peel or cutting them into small pieces. The more pressure the vegetables get, the faster they will spoil and look worse. After all, the eye also eats.
8. Always use a cutting pad
To make cutting easier, you should always use a cutting pad. Using a suitable pad makes preparation easier and safer, as fewer vegetables can slide on the work surface. It also protects your work surface from scratches.
9. Use a vegetable slicer
If you want to slice your vegetables thinly, you can use a vegetable slicer for this task. With the vegetable slicer you can thinly slice cucumbers, carrots and potatoes.
10. Use a vegetable grater
With a vegetable grater you can cut carrots, beet or pumpkin into fine strips or grates without much effort. The vegetable grater is particularly practical when preparing salads.
11. Prepare first, then freeze
Before you freeze vegetables, you should wash them, cut them and blanch them briefly in boiling water. With this method you can keep your vegetables in the freezer longer.
12. Use leftover vegetables
The stalks and peel of carrots, zucchini and pumpkin can be used for soups or smoothies and vegetable broths. So try to throw away as few leftovers from the vegetables as possible and rather process them into another delicious dish.
