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They are our favorites when it comes to slicing vegetables into wafer-thin slices: Nakiri knives.
Types of Nakiri knives.
- Dalstrong Shogun Series X 5.5 inch Nakiri knife
- Dalstrong Phantom Series Nakiri 6 inch paring knife
- Dalstrong Gladiator Series 7 inch Nakiri knife
Any chef or amateur cook worth it knows the importance of the Nakiri knife. But the average home cook may not know exactly what a Japanese-style knife is and could probably tell you the difference in a. don’t say a Nakiri knife, a santoku knife, or a Cuba knife.
However, if you spend a lot of time in your kitchen, the Nakiri knife is one of the most useful knives you can have. The word “Nakiri” can be divided into “NA”, which means “leaf” in Japanese, and “Kiri”, which means “to cut”. The Nakiri knife cuts vegetables with incomparable precision. What is the best Nakiri knife? It depends on what exactly you are looking for in the knife, but we have some suggestions for you.
Content gallery.
- What is a nakiri knife?
- How do I cut with a nakiri knife?
- How do I care for a nakiri knife?
- What type of nakiri knives do Michelin chefs use?
What is a nakiri knife?
The Nakiri knife is a Japanese knife cutting vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Regardless of whether you want to process small or large vegetables: With a Nakiri knife, wafer-thin cuts are particularly good.
The traditional knife is characterized by its double-sided bevel – unlike the Usuba knife, which is only beveled on one side. Further clear features are the rectangular, straight blade and the slightly rounded tip of the Nakiri knife. They ensure that you can cut vegetables, herbs, and co. Particularly quickly and easily.
Blade type.
Choose knives with stainless steel blades that are high in carbon. High carbon stainless steel will keep its sharp blade edge longer and guarantee the durability of your knife. In addition, knives made from this material do not require as much force to hold the blade to get that super sharp edge.
Blade length.
Ideally, these knives should have a blade length of no more than 7 inches. You can cut delicate vegetables with ease. Such a blade length reduces the number of cutting movements required.
How do I cut with a nakiri knife?
Whether it’s a small clove of garlic or a large head of cabbage: the Nakiri knife is the knife of our choice when it comes to chopping vegetables, fruits, and herbs quickly and easily. How to use the paring knife:
- Take the knife in your hand You can only hold the knife by the handle or for even more stability and control you can grip the blade sideways with your thumb and forefinger
- Hold the vegetables you want to chop with your other hand. To do this, fold in your fingertips so that you can grip the food like a claw and guide the knife along the side of your knuckles while cutting
- Slide the knife forwards or backward through the vegetables with up and down movements. Use the knuckles of your other hand to run the knife along with the food.
The shape of the knife is ideal for chopping, i.e. chopping with up and down movements. This technique takes some practice, but after a while, you will be able to chop your vegetables faster than ever!
How do I care for a nakiri knife?
To ensure that your chef’s knife stays sharp for a long time, you should only clean it in the dishwasher in exceptional cases – it is best to clean it by hand with lukewarm water and mild detergent so that you can enjoy it for a long time.
The storage is crucial: The best Nakiri is eliminated in a knife block, in a special envelope, or on a magnetic strip. This means that it cannot scratch other kitchen utensils and it retains its sharpness longer.
If the knife no longer cuts so well, re-sharpening is the order of the day. While you can sharpen models made of stainless steel relatively easily at home with a whetstone, sharpening steel, or knife sharpener, if you are a beginner, it is best to have Damascus knives sharpened at a knife sharpener. If you have sufficient knife sharpening experience, you should make sure that you only sharpen your damask knife with a suitable whetstone.
What type of nakiri knives do Michelin chefs use?
One of Dalstrong’s culinary partners is three-star Michelin chef Dominque Crenn. As one of the most accomplished and celebrated chefs in the world, her work and success speak for themselves. Your preferred Nakiri is the Crusader Series 7 “Nakiri knife.
