BONOPHOOL BANERJEE

KNIVES
KNIFE MATERIALS
The metal that a knife blade is made of is an important consideration,as the metal must be able to take and
hold a very fine edge.

1. Carbon steel was for many years the traditional favorite because it can be honed to an extremely sharp
edge.Its disadvantages are that it corrodes and discolors easily,especially when used with acid foods and
onions.Also, it discolors some foods(such as hard-cooked eggs) and may leave a metallic taste. Because of
these disadvantages,it has given way to high-carbon stainless steel (described in item 3 below),which is
now the preferred material for the best knives.

2. Traditional stainless-steel alloys will not rust or corrode, but they are much harder to sharpen than
carbon steel.Stainless steel is used mostly for low-cost, light weight knives.

3. High-carbon stainless steel is a relatively new alloy that combines the best aspects of carbon steel
and stainless steel. It takes an edge almost as well as carbon steel, and it will not rust, corrode, or discolor.
Knives made of this material are highly prized and relatively expensive.

KNIFE HANDLES

The tang is the portion of the metal blade that is inside the handle.The highest-quality, most durable
knives have a full tang, which means that the tang runs the full length of the handle.
BOLSTER
SPINE

TANG
TIP

RIV ETS
EDGE

KNIFE AND ITS PARTS

The importance of knives to a chef cannot be overstated. It is the most important piece of
equipment in the kitchen. Knives come in various different shapes and sizes and each is meant for
a specific use though some knives can be used as multi-purpose knives. Let us now familiarize
ourselves with different parts of a knife.

Blade: The blade is usually made up of a metal compound called high carbon stainless steel. It
combines the property of carbon of being sharpened easily and non-corrosive properties of steel.

The different parts of a blade are:

• Tip: The tip of the knife is the pointed edge where the knife blade ends. The tip generally
is used for scoring patterns and working with meats or carving.

• Spine: The spine of the knife is the topmost, thick edge of the knife, which gives strength
to the knife.

• Bolsters: In some knives there is a collar known as a bolster, at the point where the blade
meets the handle. It reinforces the structure of a knife.

• Cutting edge: The cutting edge is the most important part of the knife. It should always be
kept honed and sharpened.

Handle: The handle of a knife should be easy to grip, non-reactive to most cleaning agents. The
different materials used to make handles are wood, plastic, plastic fibre or even metal.

• Tang: The tang is the continuation of the blade and extends into a knife’s handle.
• Rivets: These are metal fasteners that hold the handle and the tang together.

POINTS TO BE REMEMBERED BEFORE COOKING VEGETABLES

• Do not refrigerate the potatoes as low temperature break down the colour of potators.
• Sometimes potatoes turn green due to exposure to the sun light which is toxic by nature,so
they must be stored in a cool dark place. This effect is known as SOLANINE.
• After peeling potatoes ,should be dropped in water prior to cooking to prevent the
discolouration.This occurs because of an enzyme called POLYPHENOLOXIDASE
which oxidises phenolic compounds to brown coloured polymer.
• Green leafy vegetables should be washed thoroughly in running water at least thrice to
remove the dirts and cooking process should be conducted in an open pan as green
vegetables have a volatile acid in them which affect chlorophyle in presence of heat to
make them discoloured.
• The red vegetables like red cabbage ,beet root should be boiled in a close chamber before
fabricating to ensure that they are retaining their original colour
• The sweet corn or baby corn should be boiled with one table spoon of sugar to enhance
their white colour.
• Cultivated mushroom ( fresh mushroom) should be washed in cold water without rubbing
it, otherwise it will be losing its natural delicacy . If they are very sandy just rinse them in
chilled water and dry them up with a cleaned cloth.
• Use stainless steel knife for chopping the mushrooms to prevent discolouration.
• Always sprinkle some lime juice before chopping the mushroom to prevent
discolouration.
• Most of the pulses must be boiled rapidly for 10 minutes to remove their toxic effect in the
skin. Drain well followed by a slow cooking process will always give the best results.
• Take three parts of water with one part of pulses for boiling.
• Salt and other seasonings should be added once the pulses are absolutely tender.