The Art of Cutting: The Chinese Cleaver

Exacting knife work is fundamental in a Chinese kitchen. In a cuisine where things tend to sear immediately and cook quickly, food must be cut evenly in order to cook evenly. The thin slices, the thread-like julienne strips, and the carefully squared cubes and chunks that occupy the largest part of a Chinese cook’s efforts each require a uniform precision. Chinese dishes are unforgiving of sloppy or erratic cutting, and the Chinese eye is equally critical of imperfection on the plate. A hair-fine tangle of julienned ginger crowning a steamed fish will encourage gasps, sighs, and toasts, whereas a stir-fry of lumpily cut, unevenly cooked bits will inspire silence.