If your restaurant provides exquisite Asian cuisine then you will require the perfect authentic utensils to do the job properly. The way in which the culinary industry developed in the East is completely independent of the route that was taken in the West. Everyone has a stereotypical vision of an Asian chef with a large cleaver hacking skilfully at seafood and other ingredients and this in fact is not too far away from the truth.
Whereas Western kitchens use mainly knives that seem to be smaller and more slender, with the odd big hefty cleaver thrown in for certain tasks, Eastern kitchens tend to have generally larger and more industrial knives. Nevertheless, these large and lethal looking tools are perfect for the job demanded of them.
But do you understand which Asian knives should be used for which task in order to gain the maximum impact? The unique size, shape and edge of each blade determine the use and are also what distinguishes them from Western alternatives.
Types of knives
Santoku knife
Used for; dicing, mincing and slicing
Size; 7 inch blade
Features; no bolster, well balanced with a thin blade
Qualities; versatile, the handle and the blade are the same length; the top line of the handle sits in line with the top line of the blade.
Benefits; made of harder, tempered steel with the blade quickly tapering to a point. This results in a sharper cutting angle on the cutting edge therefore greater control over the blade. Ideal for cutting seafood, vegetables and small meats although is not suitable for cutting through thick bones.
Chinese chef’s knife
Used for; chopping, dicing, carving, paring, mincing, crushing and tenderising
Size; 7 to 8 inch blade
Features; rectangular, flat blade with a curved edge
Qualities; versatility is the key. Not only can the chef prepare food but also use the flat blade as a tool to scoop ingredients and transfer to the pot.
Benefits; the blade which is rounded at the ends allows the chef to employ a rocking motion when chopping or mincing. The handle is typically round and made from wood however more contemporary versions have metal handles with moulded finger grips. The top edge of the knife can be used to pound cuts of meat to tenderise them before cooking.
Bone cleaver
Used for; butchering large joints of meat and chopping through bone
Size; 8 to 12 inch blade
Features; a metal blade which is hard and that has a blunt edge
Qualities; this is a heavier version of the Chinese chef’s knife and similar to a Western butcher’s cleaver, although the shape may differ slightly. The blade is strong and tough but should not be sharpened often.
Benefits; unlike the majority of kitchen knives the edge of the blade should be blunt, and the knife needs sheer power, strength and momentum to chop through bones.
Ping knife
Used for; mincing vegetables, dicing and chopping
Size; 7 to 10 inch blade
Features; hard metal broad blade that has a blunt edge
Qualities; these knives are lightweight with a thin blade, effective even though it has a blunt blade.
Benefits; this knife is authentic in appearance due to the coarse black surface that covers most of the blade. This method of forging the blade reduces the labour involved in the manufacturing process and also reduces the purchase cost for the buyer.
Nakiri knife
Uses; chopping and slicing vegetables
Size; approximately a 7 inch blade
Features; a thin, dual ground blade
Qualities; these knives have a medium length blade that is lightweight, ideal for cutting delicate ingredients. The knives can feature a rectangular shape in areas surrounding Tokyo while nearer Osaka the blades will have a curved corner.
Benefits; the blade is straight enabling long cuts to be made without the need to use a back and forth motion.
Deba knife
Uses; filleting and beheading fish
Size; 4 to 6 inch blade
Features; a thick blade with a sharp cutting edge that narrows and tapers to a point
Qualities; these knives are much thicker than nakiri knives with the sharp edge easily cutting through fish meat and thin bones.
Features; the short blade gives the chef greater control over the knife and the precision of the cut.
Sashimi knife
Uses; filleting and slicing medium sized fish
Size; 9 to 12 inch blade
Features; the blade is ultra thin with an extremely sharp edge which is ground on one side
Qualities; these knives are designed to cut on the pull motion as opposed to the push, as seen with Western knives. In the areas around Tokyo the end will be rectangular whilst nearer to Osaka the end is pointed. Certain variations of this knife are designed to be more flexible to be used to slice puffer fish.
Benefits; the long blade is ideal for preparation of sushi and other fish dishes and allows the chef to make singular cuts to medium sized fish. The blade should be kept finely sharpened to a microscopic edge to ensure that the delicate flesh of the fish does not tear when being cut.
Usuba knife
Uses; chopping and slicing vegetables
Size; 6 to 7 inch blade
Features; a thin blade ground to the edge on one side
Qualities; although similar to a nakiri knife the blade is only ground on one side. These knives are a heavier version of the nakiri knife.
Benefits; can be ground on the right side of the blade for right handed chefs or on the left for left handed chefs. This choice guarantees that the chef can produce thinner slices with more ease than the nakiri knife offers.
Japanese cow knife
Uses; slicing beef straight off the bone
Size; 7 to 13 inch blade
Features; the blade is thick with a sharp and angled point
Qualities; this is a basic butcher’s tool. The strong, thick blade can withstand contact with bone whilst the meat is being sliced.
Benefits; these knives are available in a range of sizes meaning that there is the perfect knife for every chef’s needs. The angled point allows the knife to penetrate into tough and tender meats alike.
If your restaurant demands perfect results then you will need to purchase the right equipment. Any Asian restaurant which prides itself on authenticity should strongly consider investing in the appropriate Asian knives to ensure that the task of preparing ingredients is completed effectively and inline with tradition.