Chopped carrots come in handy if you want to add a bright color and crunchy flavor to your next meal. Also called stick carrots, these mouth-watering nuggets can be added to a wide variety of dishes, from salads to desserts. These carrots will become the highlight of any culinary masterpiece that will be appreciated by your family. Regardless of whether you use a knife or a shredder, you will quickly learn this kind of slicing technique, even if you do not have much experience in the culinary arts.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Chopping carrots with a knife
Step 1. Cut the carrots in half
Whole carrots are inconvenient to hold with this cutting technique, so they must first be cut into small pieces. Use a sharp French knife (chef's knife) to cut the carrots in half lengthwise.
- If the carrots are too long, you can cut them into three or four pieces. The easiest way to cut carrots into strips is 8-10 cm or less.
- It is very important to work on the kitchen board so that you will not damage the countertop or any other work surface while slicing carrots.
Step 2. Cut the carrot halves in the middle along their entire length
Take carrot halves and cut each piece in the middle along its entire length. Be careful not to cut your fingers as they may slip off the carrot due to its rounded shape.
- If your fingers do slip off, cut a small piece off one side of the carrot to create a flat surface. So it will lie much more stable.
- It is safest to place the carrots in your hand so that the fingertips are bent at the upper phalanx, which will allow the nails to be tucked vertically relative to the table. You can also lightly press down on the carrots with your fingernails to hold them firmly in place.
Step 3. Cut each carrot slice into four pieces
Place the carrot slices on the board with the cut side down for better stability. Use a knife to cut each piece into four equal pieces.
The resulting pieces should be rectangular
Step 4. Divide all small carrot pieces into thirds
Take each of the four carrot slices and cut into thirds. Continue cutting the carrots into slices until they are the thickness you want.
The finished carrot slices, cut into strips, now resemble the wooden part of a match
Method 2 of 3: Chop the carrots with a shredder
Step 1. Place the shredder on a flat surface
While the grater is much safer to use than a knife in most cases, the blade is still very sharp and can damage your fingers if used improperly. Be sure to place the grater on a flat, level surface, because this way you can additionally fix it while cutting carrots.
The best surface for a grater-shredder is a cutting board that lies on the kitchen countertop. It is very convenient to hold it during operation
Step 2. Choose a suitable grater blade
Shredders usually have several different types of blades that allow you to cut vegetables and fruits in different ways. Select the appropriate blade to cut carrots into strips. On some models it is called a stick slicing blade.
- In some types of shredders, you will have to install the correct blade for cutting vegetables in the form of strips or sticks yourself. On others, you just need to move the blade to the working position. Read the user manual and find out how to attach the blade to the grater.
- If the grater has more than one blade for slicing strips or sticks, pay attention to the thickness of each one. This way you can choose the right size.
Step 3. Place the carrots on the protective holder
Because the grater blades are very sharp, you risk cutting yourself if you rub the carrots directly over the top of the device with your hand. Most grater models come with a special protective holder that acts as a barrier between your hand and the blades. Place the carrots on the prongs of the holder and make sure they are firmly in place.
- If the kit does not include a protective holder, you can buy it separately.
- If it seems to you that the carrots do not hold securely enough on the protective holder, you can buy a special glove made of metal threads that will protect your fingers from cuts.
Step 4. Press down on the blade to chop the carrots
Secure the carrots securely in the protective holder and move them with measured movements along the blade to get a straw. It usually takes a few strokes to grate a piece of carrot along the blade.
Method 3 of 3: Preparing the carrots for slicing
Step 1. Wash the carrots
Carrots bought from a store or a vegetable market have a lot of soil on the surface, in which a lot of bacteria live. Before cutting carrots, rinse them and rub them firmly with a vegetable brush under running cool water.
You don't need to brush if you plan to peel off
Step 2. Peel the carrots
Carrot peels can be eaten, but some people don't like their slightly bitter taste. Before slicing carrots, peel them off using a peeling tool, especially if they are very thick.
Try to remove the skin in one stroke along the length to keep the vegetable intact
Step 3. Trim both ends of the carrots
It is very important to cut off the ends while preparing the carrots for further slicing. Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut off the top and tip of the carrots. Depending on the way you handle your carrots, you may need to continue slicing them.
Advice
- If carrot waste remains during cutting into strips, then they can be saved for broth, salad, or even used as a snack right in the cooking process.
- Test the sharpness of a kitchen knife if you use one to cut carrots into strips. The risk of injury is much higher if you use a blunt tool, as it puts more effort into cutting the carrots.
- Chopped carrots are ideal for vegetable stews, sautés, salads or as a side dish.
- When shopping, choose carrots that are the same thickness as possible. This trick will allow you to cut it into equal sized slices.