- By Daniel Smith
- Published 05/4/2012
When you are planning to cook the perfect sushi at home, the first thing you need to do is shop for the right ingredients. However, before you go to the supermarket, check your cutlery drawer. Do you have the right sushi knives for preparing the ingredients to make this Japanese delicacy? To make sure that your sushi is perfect, the list of essential tools you need to have in your kitchen includes Japanese sushi knives.
How do you choose the right knives for preparation of fish and vegetables for sushi? Different knives are good for different tasks associated with this preparation. Before you even begin your search, here are the types of knives you may need.
The deba knife would be a good choice if you plan to buy the whole fish and cut it for sushi. You may not need this if you buy pre-cut fish; however, most cooks opt for cutting the whole fish on their own. The big knife has a tapered blade, measuring approximately 4-6 inches, and is thicker than the blade of other knives. This is to ensure that you can easily cut and debone big fishes.
The sashimi knife is necessary for preparing the raw fish. Whether you need to fillet, slice or portion the fish, the fine, sharp edge of the blade and the single bevelled angle makes these tasks easy. The flat back of the blade ensures proper support when you are using this knife. The willow-leaf shape of the blade gives it another name – the yanagi knife.
The usuba is another important knife that you cannot overlook when you are planning to make sushi. Though this knife closely resembles a meat cleaver, its function is quite different. This knife is ideal for cutting fine slices of vegetables that you need to make sushi. Even when you have to cut paper-thin slices of soft vegetables, this is the knife to use. You may opt for pre-cut vegetables; however, doing it on your own is always a better idea.
It is a good idea to keep in mind which kitchen knives are available for sushi preparation before you go shopping for the ingredients. The next task is – where do you buy these knives from? You have two options in this regard.
You may check out the local cutlery store for these knives. You may also opt for an online store. Apart from the convenience that online shopping offers, you may be able to check out a wide range of products before making a choice. Moreover, online shopping also gives you the advantage of comparing the prices of the different Japanese knives available for sushi preparation.
The reason chefs prefer a Japanese knife for such preparations is that these knives cut vegetables and fish without damaging their delicate texture and flavour. Traditional Japanese knives have fine, thin and sharp blades that make the tasks easy and wooden handles that provide the necessary support. Therefore, if you plan to make sushi at home, make sure you have these essential tools in your kitchen.
Author Bio
Daniel Smith is the editor of a cookery magazine. He provides tips and suggestions for individuals planning to buy knives from Japanese manufacturers. If you were looking for the best Japanese knives, he suggests you visit http://www.lohira.com/for such products.
