How to properly cut onions into cubes, rings and strips

Onions are among the most popular and widely used vegetables in cooking. Spicy snacks are prepared from it, used in soups and salads, meat and fish dishes, and added to salting for the winter. How to properly cut onions for various dishes will be discussed in the article.

Features of slicing onions

Choosing the right shredding method depends on the purpose of using the vegetable. So, for soups and mixed salads, turnips are usually cut into small cubes, for serving as an independent dish - in rings or half rings. Professional chefs are able to transform an ordinary onion into a work of art by shaping it into a chrysanthemum or rose shape, or by arranging numbers and letters from caramelized rings.

To cut the onion properly, it's worth examining its structure.

Onions have a scaly structure:

• top layer - dry and thin scales (husk) without taste;
• the inner layer is fleshy and juicy scales with a pronounced taste and strong aroma designed to repel pests.

The more damage the knife inflicts on juicy scales during cutting or peeling, the stronger the effect of the active substances on the mucous membrane of the eyes. Therefore, they work with the vegetable quickly enough, using a sharp knife and an even cutting board.

On a note! When peeling a vegetable, the husk is not completely torn from the root: it will be more convenient to hold the turnip for it when shredding.

Half rings and rings

The vegetable, chopped into rings and half rings, is added to salads, the ingredients of which are not pre-mixed. This form of onion slicing is suitable for side dishes, pickling and caramelizing, it will decorate barbecue and herring.

Training

It is desirable that the selected turnip be round or oval. Dents and irregularities will not only make cutting difficult, but will also make the resulting rings and half rings uneven around the circumference and thickness of the layers.

The husked vegetable is thoroughly washed and 0.5-1 cm of the top is cut off with a sharp knife.

Further actions depend on the method of shredding.

What kind of cutting to choose: orbital or poles

The main difference between them is in the direction of the cut:

1. With the orbital method, they are made across the bulb, parallel to the apex, right down to the root. The thickness of the strips varies from 0.1 mm to 1-2 cm depending on the needs of the chef.
2. In the second method, cuts are made along the vegetable in the direction from the top to the root. The ideal stripe thickness is about 1 cm. It is impractical to make thinner rings along the poles.

With orbital shredding, the onion breaks up into small pieces according to the number of layers and has a particularly strong flavor. Therefore, it is chosen if small pieces of vegetables with a pronounced taste and smell will go into the dish.

When sliced ​​at the poles, semi-circular, almost intact stripes with a dull aroma are obtained. This method is preferable when the onion is considered as an independent snack or the dish should not have a pronounced bitter taste.

Rings or half rings

Rings are obtained only with orbital cutting from a whole turnip, otherwise they will lose their integrity.

The order of chopping onion rings:

1. The onion is washed and peeled, leaving it on the root.
2. To prevent the vegetable from rolling on the board, a circle up to 0.5-0.7 cm thick is cut from one side of it with a sharp knife, forming a stable "base".
3. Holding the turnip tightly with your free hand, cut the rings of the required thickness parallel to the top with a sharp knife.
4. The rings are manually disassembled into separate circles of different diameters.

The order of slicing onions in half rings:

1. The vegetable, together with the husk, is cut in half with a sharp knife from top to root.
2. Both halves are laid on a flat board with the slices down.
3. One part is peeled from the husk, leaving it on the root.
4. With a sharp knife, half rings of the required thickness are formed (cutting along the poles and orbital is acceptable).
5. The root is removed along with the husk.
6. Repeat the steps with the second half.

Cubes

Cube-shaped onions are used in mixed salads, soups, meat gravies and similar dishes.

Training

For such cutting, the size and shape of the turnip does not really matter: even an irregularly shaped vegetable with dents and small damages is crushed into cubes, which are previously removed with a sharp knife.

Advice! To quickly peel the onion, keep it in boiling water for about 1 minute.

The turnip is thoroughly washed, the top is removed (by 0.5–1 cm), cut strictly in half from top to root and placed on a cutting board. One of the halves is freed from the husk without tearing it off the root, and with a sharp knife is chopped along the poles from the root to the top. Repeat for the other part.

Medium and large cubes

To chop the onion into large cubes, they are made 1.5–2 cm wide, medium - 0.5–1.5 cm wide.

The board with the onion cut at the poles is turned 90 ° and orbital shredded (parallel to the top) with a suitable layer thickness, if necessary holding with the free hand. At the end of the shredder, remove the root with the husk.

Small cubes

These are pieces with a side length of no more than 0.5-0.7 cm.

To do this, an onion:

1. Crushed at the poles with the desired layer thickness.
2. Hold it tight with your free hand and make several longitudinal cuts parallel to the cutting board.
3. Shredded in an orbital way.

If very small cuts (minced meat) are required, then the cubes are collected on a board with a slide and chopped with a knife in several passes.

Straws

To chop the onion into strips, cut it in half strictly from top to root, remove the root and top. Then they are chopped with a sharp knife along the poles. The thickness of the feathers is chosen according to the use: for salads - as thin as possible, for soups and stewing - larger.

Chopped feathers, if necessary, are disassembled into semicircles of different diameters.

For frying and soup

For soup and second courses, it is better to cut the onion into cubes of various sizes.

No less popular is the method in which the vegetable is washed, peeled, the top and root are cut off and placed entirely in a saucepan with the dish being prepared. At the end cooking or "insisting" get the turnip. This allows her to convey all her taste to the dish. So to people who don't like boiled onions, you won't have to eat it.

Precautions

The main problem with shredding onions is the burning effect on the eyes.

Interesting! When the integrity of cells is violated, the amino acids in them under the influence of enzymes are converted into a volatile compound 1-sulfinylpropane. It interacts with the lacrimal fluid of the eyes, as a result, sulfuric acid is formed, which irritates the mucous membrane, leads to tearing and cramps.

Ways to reduce the stinging effect of a vegetable:

• use sharp knives and smooth cutting boards;
• Hold the onion pieces tightly together to minimize splitting when slicing
• "Close" the cuts, for example, by placing the turnip on a board;
• chop while standing, not sitting: this will increase the distance between the bow and the eyes;
• constantly dip a knife into cold water;
• pre-keep the onion in the refrigerator or freezer (no more than 15 minutes);
• buy vegetables red or purple in color: they are less pungent and have a milder taste.

Tips & Tricks

To make it easier to peel large quantities of onions, they are pre-kept in cold water for 5 minutes.

Chopped vegetables that have not been used in a dish will not lose flavor, crunch, and integrity if wrapped in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator. The shelf life of such a blank does not exceed 3-5 days.

The finely chopped vegetable is frozen for several months, until the next season. The slices are laid out in portions in plastic bags and placed in the freezer.

Conclusion

A vegetable chopped into rings or large strips, despite its attractive appearance, is not very convenient for an independent meal. Cubes of different sizes fit easily into cutlery and are not difficult to use. Each shredding method is suitable for both regular dishes and festive feasts.