Kanshaworkshop Slicing

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KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions (Ten Speed Press, 2010) © Copyright 2010. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh (Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen) 1 1 photographed in Elizabeth Andoh’s Tokyo kitchen Related Techniques Supplement to the Catalog of Tools & Techniques (KANSHA pg 243-245) KANSHAworkshop LESSON TWO = Kimpira This instruction sheet provides additional information on two important Japanese cutting techniques: katsura muki (thin, broad-peeling) sen-giri cutting (making thread-thin shreds) KATSURA MUKI The ability to produce a continuous, gossamer-thin, broad peel (katsura muki) from a daikon radish is but one of several skills required of Japanese culinary professionals. Many home cooks are also quite proficient in producing long, broad peels from vegetables. Many recipes in KANSHA (and WASHOKU, too) instruct you to remove peels from vegetables such as daikon and carrot in katsura muki fashion, setting aside the outermost (thicker) layer to use when making other dishes. One of the simplest “bonus” dishes to make from these kitchen scraps is kimpira. (Other uses for shredded broad peels include tempura pancakes and quick-fix or impatient pickles.)

Transcript of Kanshaworkshop Slicing

KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions (Ten Speed Press, 2010)

© Copyright 2010. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh (Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen)

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photographed in Elizabeth Andoh’s Tokyo kitchen

Related Techniques

Supplement to the Catalog of Tools & Techniques (KANSHA pg 243-245)

KANSHAworkshop LESSON TWO = Kimpira

This instruction sheet provides additional information on two important Japanese cutting

techniques:

katsura muki (thin, broad-peeling)

sen-giri cutting (making thread-thin shreds)

KATSURA MUKI

The ability to produce a continuous, gossamer-thin, broad peel (katsura muki) from a

daikon radish is but one of several skills required of Japanese culinary professionals.

Many home cooks are also quite proficient in producing long, broad peels from

vegetables. Many recipes in KANSHA (and WASHOKU, too) instruct you to remove

peels from vegetables such as daikon and carrot in katsura muki fashion, setting aside

the outermost (thicker) layer to use when making other dishes. One of the simplest

“bonus” dishes to make from these kitchen scraps is kimpira. (Other uses for shredded

broad peels include tempura pancakes and quick-fix or impatient pickles.)

KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions (Ten Speed Press, 2010)

© Copyright 2010. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh (Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen)

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KATSURA MUKI or BROAD-PEELING

starting to peel… continuing to peel… finishing off outer peel

A medium-sized, medium-weight, well-sharpened, all-purpose santoku-bocho (“three

feature knife”) or bunka-bocho (“culture knife”) is the best tool for most cutting and

slicing procedures in the Japanese home (and many professional) kitchen. Use your

primary hand for holding the knife steady (right-handed cooks will hold the knife in their

right hand…), extending your forefinger across the top (non-cutting edge) of the blade

(center photo), or on the far side of the blade (photos on left and right). Your thumb

should lie on top of the vegetable to be cut (not on the blade). Your non-dominant hand

holds the vegetable so that it can be rotated into the knife blade.

Start to peel by inserting the cutting edge of the blade under the peel. The goal is to

make a cut of even thickness though when you first start to peel a thick vegetable that is

curved (such as the greenish neck segment of a daikon) it will not be entirely flat (you

can even it off as you go). Move your dominant, knife-holding hand up and down,

making light sawing motions. Meanwhile, your non-dominant hand is rotating the

vegetable into the blade. When you have completed a round, tilt the blade slightly so

that the cutting edge nearest the knife handle is exposed (photo on right), severing the

peel from the segment. When finished, you will have a wide, flat, thin peel and a peeled

segment of daikon that can be used in other dishes (also the tufted top and tapered tip

of the daikon radish remain).

before katsura muki peeling… after katsura muki peeling…

KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions (Ten Speed Press, 2010)

© Copyright 2010. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh (Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen)

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SEN-GIRI (THIN SHREDS) for kimpira

slice katsura muki peel into smaller pieces… stack… draw tip of knife towards you

To make thin shreds from broad (6-7 inch) peels, slice into several 2-inch wide pieces

(left photo). Stack and slice; insert the tip of the knife first and draw the blade towards

you. Note: When making sen-giri fine-shreds from the peeled segment of the daikon for

other dishes, an alternate method described at the end of this sheet, may be more

efficient.

This same technique –drawing the tip of the knife towards you – is used for slicing green

peppers (shiny side to cutting board) and slippery konnyaku, too.

Shave lemon peels to remove pith (left), then shred (right), drawing the tip of the knife

towards you when slicing.

KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions (Ten Speed Press, 2010)

© Copyright 2010. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh (Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen)

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Alternate method for making sen-giri fine-shreds: First, make thin, vertical slices. Then stack slices to overlap (as you might spread a

deck of playing cards) as illustrated, below.

Japanese slicing technique pushes the forearm forward while keeping the wrist steady.

Cutting is accomplished with a pushing-away motion, rather than a wrist-rocking,

downward motion. Return the blade to the starting position, as needed, and repeat the

pushing away action. Think: “thin, thin, thin.” Aim for uniform pieces, maintaining a

steady rhythm. Speed will come with practice.