When it comes to kitchen tools, knife sets are undoubtedly the most important! 99% percent of cooking somehow involves a knife, and rightly so. However, most of us are quite ignorant to the world of knives, their kinds and what is used for what, with us simply resorting to a flimsy one blunted down through the ages. To correct that, we spoke to Amaltas's Chef Udit Meheshwari on how to buy knives and which ones to buy, here's what he had to say.
A Chef Tells You Everything You Need To Know About Knives And His Favourites
Cricketers have their bats, doctors have their stethoscopes and painters have their paintbrushes. If you want to be a home chef or a professional one, what is one thing that you need the most? A knife? But not just a good knife, but a good knife set. Almost everyone uses just one knife to do everything in the kitchen. However, if you really want to make your life in the kitchen easy and become a pro, it is important to have some essential knives. Here are a few tips to keep in mind, along with products you can buy online.
Tip 1: Be Clear About What You'll Use The Knife For
₹1814
'The first thing that makes me pick a knife is what I am looking to do with it. Regular chopping can be done with a Chef’s knife. For meat, a cleaver & a boning knife is important. For fish, a flexible filleting knife is important. For peeling, mincing herbs, garlic etc., a paring knife is essential. It is also good for segmenting citrus fruits like oranges, fresh lime etc. A bread knife is also essential to slice your favourite sourdough perfectly.'
Tip 2: A Balanced Knife Equals A Job Well Done
₹1699
'A knife should feel well balanced in your hand. It shouldn’t be too heavy or too light. The weight should be distributed perfectly between the handle & the blade. Using a knife is all about rhythm & if the balance is off by just a little bit, it’ll be very difficult to maintain a good rhythm and do a good job.'
Tip 3: Never Underestimate The Importance Of Sharpness
₹1800
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'Another thing which you should look for in a knife is sharpness. Now you might think that this is obvious but a lot of people often ignore it. This needs to be worked on regularly. A sharpening steel or stone is essential for this. Learn the right technique to maintain the blade of the knife. Please don’t try to sharpen your bread knife. Sharpening it ruins the blade.'
Chef's Favoruites
Here are a couple more high-end as well as budgeted options that are available online.
Victorinox “Swiss Classic” Set of 9
₹20537
Solimo High-Carbon Stainless Steel Knife Set
₹1349
Victorinox Dual-Knife Sharpener
₹1348
