Scoring

This is a technique used to pierce the surface of foods to help them cook faster and more evenly. It also gives them an attractive appearance. Use a cleaver or sharp knife and make cuts into the food at a slight angle to a depth of about ⅛ of an inch (2 mm). Take care not to cut all the way through. Make cuts all over the surface of the food, cutting crisscross to give a wide, diamond-shaped pattern. This is particularly useful when steaming whole fish — scoring the fish before steaming allows the heat to penetrate the thicker portions. When the sizzling hot sauce is poured over the cooked fish, the taste penetrates through the scored flesh.