Related Techniques

KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions
(Ten Speed Press, 2010)
photographed in Elizabeth Andoh’s Tokyo kitchen
Related Techniques
Supplement to the Catalog of Tools & Techniques (KANSHA pg 243-245)
KANSHAworkshop LESSON TWO = Kimpira
This instruction sheet provides additional information on two important Japanese cutting
techniques:

katsura muki (thin, broad-peeling)

sen-giri cutting (making thread-thin shreds)
KATSURA MUKI
The ability to produce a continuous, gossamer-thin, broad peel (katsura muki) from a
daikon radish is but one of several skills required of Japanese culinary professionals.
Many home cooks are also quite proficient in producing long, broad peels from
vegetables. Many recipes in KANSHA (and WASHOKU, too) instruct you to remove
peels from vegetables such as daikon and carrot in katsura muki fashion, setting aside
the outermost (thicker) layer to use when making other dishes. One of the simplest
“bonus” dishes to make from these kitchen scraps is kimpira. (Other uses for shredded
broad peels include tempura pancakes and quick-fix or impatient pickles.)
© Copyright 2010. All rights 1reserved by Elizabeth Andoh
(Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen)
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KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions
(Ten Speed Press, 2010)
KATSURA MUKI or BROAD-PEELING
starting to peel…
continuing to peel…
finishing off outer peel
A medium-sized, medium-weight, well-sharpened, all-purpose santoku-bocho (“three
feature knife”) or bunka-bocho (“culture knife”) is the best tool for most cutting and
slicing procedures in the Japanese home (and many professional) kitchen. Use your
primary hand for holding the knife steady (right-handed cooks will hold the knife in their
right hand…), extending your forefinger across the top (non-cutting edge) of the blade
(center photo), or on the far side of the blade (photos on left and right). Your thumb
should lie on top of the vegetable to be cut (not on the blade). Your non-dominant hand
holds the vegetable so that it can be rotated into the knife blade.
Start to peel by inserting the cutting edge of the blade under the peel. The goal is to
make a cut of even thickness though when you first start to peel a thick vegetable that is
curved (such as the greenish neck segment of a daikon) it will not be entirely flat (you
can even it off as you go). Move your dominant, knife-holding hand up and down,
making light sawing motions. Meanwhile, your non-dominant hand is rotating the
vegetable into the blade. When you have completed a round, tilt the blade slightly so
that the cutting edge nearest the knife handle is exposed (photo on right), severing the
peel from the segment. When finished, you will have a wide, flat, thin peel and a peeled
segment of daikon that can be used in other dishes (also the tufted top and tapered tip
of the daikon radish remain).
before katsura muki peeling…
after katsura muki peeling…
© Copyright 2010. All rights 2reserved by Elizabeth Andoh
(Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen)
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KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions
(Ten Speed Press, 2010)
SEN-GIRI (THIN SHREDS) for kimpira
slice katsura muki peel into smaller pieces… stack… draw tip of knife towards you
To make thin shreds from broad (6-7 inch) peels, slice into several 2-inch wide pieces
(left photo). Stack and slice; insert the tip of the knife first and draw the blade towards
you. Note: When making sen-giri fine-shreds from the peeled segment of the daikon for
other dishes, an alternate method described at the end of this sheet, may be more
efficient.
This same technique –drawing the tip of the knife towards you – is used for slicing green
peppers (shiny side to cutting board) and slippery konnyaku, too.
Shave lemon peels to remove pith (left), then shred (right), drawing the tip of the knife
towards you when slicing.
© Copyright 2010. All rights 3reserved by Elizabeth Andoh
(Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen)
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KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions
(Ten Speed Press, 2010)
Alternate method for making sen-giri fine-shreds:
First, make thin, vertical slices. Then stack slices to overlap (as you might spread a
deck of playing cards) as illustrated, below.
Japanese slicing technique pushes the forearm forward while keeping the wrist steady.
Cutting is accomplished with a pushing-away motion, rather than a wrist-rocking,
downward motion. Return the blade to the starting position, as needed, and repeat the
pushing away action. Think: “thin, thin, thin.” Aim for uniform pieces, maintaining a
steady rhythm. Speed will come with practice.
© Copyright 2010. All rights 4reserved by Elizabeth Andoh
(Images not found in KANSHA were taken by Elizabeth in her kitchen)
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