Chopping Board

The Chinese traditionally use a soft wood block for chopping. Such a block is not only difficult to maintain, however, but also accumulates bacteria. I prefer a board made of hardwood or white acrylic. These are strong, easy to clean and last indefinitely. There is so much chopping and slicing to be done when preparing food for Asian-style cooking that it really is essential to have a large, steady cutting board. For health reasons never cut cooked meat on a board that you have used for chopping raw meat or poultry. Keep a separate board for this purpose. And always properly clean your cutting boards after use. Vinegar or lemon works well, but you may prefer to use a stronger bleach solution.