1 00:00:01,168 --> 00:00:04,597 Dicing an Onion 2 00:00:04,597 --> 00:00:06,540 Hello, my name is Helen Rennie, 3 00:00:06,540 --> 00:00:08,509 I'm the founder of Helen's Kitchen cooking school, 4 00:00:08,509 --> 00:00:10,811 and today we're going to learn to dice an onion. 5 00:00:10,811 --> 00:00:11,624 Onion Anatomy 101 6 00:00:11,624 --> 00:00:13,313 This is an onion top, 7 00:00:13,313 --> 00:00:14,982 and this is the onion root. 8 00:00:14,982 --> 00:00:17,018 The root is what's going to hold the onion together 9 00:00:17,018 --> 00:00:18,135 as you're dicing it, 10 00:00:18,135 --> 00:00:20,126 so keep as much of the root on as possible. 11 00:00:20,988 --> 00:00:22,556 If you're dealing with a hairy onion, 12 00:00:22,556 --> 00:00:24,792 I suggest giving it a buzz cut 13 00:00:24,792 --> 00:00:26,927 to prevent the hairs from getting into 14 00:00:26,927 --> 00:00:28,462 the finished product. 15 00:00:28,462 --> 00:00:30,698 Cut the top of the onion off completely, 16 00:00:30,698 --> 00:00:32,766 and set it on this flat surface 17 00:00:32,766 --> 00:00:34,551 that you've just created. 18 00:00:34,551 --> 00:00:36,837 Cut it in half. 19 00:00:36,837 --> 00:00:38,475 Nick the outer layers with the knife 20 00:00:38,475 --> 00:00:40,007 to make peeling easier, 21 00:00:40,007 --> 00:00:42,109 and peel everything starting with 22 00:00:42,109 --> 00:00:44,470 the first decent-looking layer. 23 00:00:44,470 --> 00:00:46,735 Clean off your board. 24 00:00:46,735 --> 00:00:47,882 Sit the onion on the board 25 00:00:47,882 --> 00:00:49,863 with the root facing away from you. 26 00:00:49,863 --> 00:00:51,018 We'll be cutting the onion 27 00:00:51,018 --> 00:00:53,089 parallel to the lines in its layers. 28 00:00:53,089 --> 00:00:54,488 Normally, we use the back of the knife 29 00:00:54,488 --> 00:00:55,687 for cutting things, 30 00:00:55,687 --> 00:00:57,825 but this time we'll use the tip, 31 00:00:57,825 --> 00:00:59,360 so that we can keep the onion 32 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,482 attached at the root. 33 00:01:07,175 --> 00:01:08,383 Now let's rotate the onion 34 00:01:08,383 --> 00:01:10,137 so that the root is near your guiding hand, 35 00:01:10,137 --> 00:01:11,838 and the top is near your knife hand. 36 00:01:11,838 --> 00:01:13,473 You'll need one or more parallel cuts 37 00:01:13,473 --> 00:01:14,839 through this onion. 38 00:01:14,839 --> 00:01:16,141 Here are a few tips on them. 39 00:01:16,141 --> 00:01:18,546 Set the onion close to the edge of the board, 40 00:01:18,546 --> 00:01:21,148 and get the knife handle and your hand 41 00:01:21,148 --> 00:01:23,751 off the board, to make sure that you are low 42 00:01:23,751 --> 00:01:25,686 and parallel to the board. 43 00:01:25,686 --> 00:01:28,856 Now make one or more parallel cuts. 44 00:01:28,856 --> 00:01:32,726 For an onion this size, we need a couple. 45 00:01:32,726 --> 00:01:36,063 Do not try to jam the knife through the onion head-on. 46 00:01:36,063 --> 00:01:38,498 Start on the point of the onion that's closest to you, 47 00:01:38,498 --> 00:01:40,734 and the point on the knife that's closest to you, 48 00:01:40,734 --> 00:01:42,307 and go in a circular motion 49 00:01:42,307 --> 00:01:46,573 that ends with the tip of the knife inside the onion. 50 00:01:46,573 --> 00:01:48,971 The goal is not to cut all the way to the root; 51 00:01:48,971 --> 00:01:50,155 that would be counterproductive, 52 00:01:50,155 --> 00:01:51,412 your onion would fall apart. 53 00:01:51,412 --> 00:01:54,782 The goal is to cut through the tallest point on the onion. 54 00:01:54,782 --> 00:01:56,684 The last step is to slice the onion 55 00:01:56,684 --> 00:01:59,515 perpendicular to the cuts you made in the first step. 56 00:01:59,515 --> 00:02:01,622 Here, we're back to our normal way of cutting 57 00:02:01,622 --> 00:02:03,457 where we use the back of the knife 58 00:02:03,457 --> 00:02:05,078 and the claw grip. 59 00:02:07,570 --> 00:02:11,606 If you want, you can work your way around the root, 60 00:02:12,945 --> 00:02:15,563 or of course you can just discard it. 61 00:02:17,194 --> 00:02:19,172 Hate that parallel cut? 62 00:02:19,172 --> 00:02:20,408 Here's another option. 63 00:02:20,408 --> 00:02:21,942 Start by slicing the onion 64 00:02:21,942 --> 00:02:23,383 using the tip of the knife, 65 00:02:23,383 --> 00:02:25,835 keeping it attached at the root. 66 00:02:27,481 --> 00:02:31,318 Now cut the onion in half through the root. 67 00:02:31,318 --> 00:02:35,122 Turn the two halves 90º, 68 00:02:35,122 --> 00:02:37,491 and make a couple of cuts 69 00:02:37,491 --> 00:02:39,359 that go all the way down, 70 00:02:39,359 --> 00:02:43,345 but keep the onion attached at the root. 71 00:02:43,345 --> 00:02:45,825 Turn the halves back 90º, 72 00:02:45,825 --> 00:02:47,519 join them together, 73 00:02:47,519 --> 00:02:48,902 rotate the onion 74 00:02:48,902 --> 00:02:51,505 so that the root end is near your guiding hand 75 00:02:51,505 --> 00:02:54,617 and the top of the onion is near your knife hand. 76 00:02:54,617 --> 00:02:57,344 And finish slicing, using the claw grip 77 00:02:57,344 --> 00:02:58,960 and the back of the knife. 78 00:03:02,483 --> 00:03:04,151 From Helen's Kitchen in Boston, 79 00:03:04,151 --> 00:03:06,153 happy cooking and baking to you. 80 00:03:06,153 --> 00:03:07,454 Produced by Helen Rennie. Music by Django Reinhardt. 81 00:03:07,454 --> 00:03:09,089 Copyright (c) 2011 by Helen Rennie. All Rights Reserved. 82 00:03:09,089 --> 99:59:59,999 More techniques at beyondsalmon.com