# Lemongrass



## Nemo (Jul 16, 2017)

Blooddy tough stuff. I was trying to teach my 12yo to cut it and using a different knife (nakiri, which suits her better). Found it a bit hard. Don't think the knife was blunt but from memory (Hap40 so haven't sharpened it in ages) it was fairly highly polished.

What's best (for finely slicing), polished edge or toothy edge? Push slice, draw slice or push cut?


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## OliverNuther (Jul 16, 2017)

I tend to use the heel of a gyuto and push straight down with my hand almost directly above the produce.

Edge is whatever my rudimentary skills have managed to achieve.


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## tsuriru (Jul 16, 2017)

yeah....slicing through lemon grass is a tough one. I like to use fresh lemon grass and tend to prefer the bottom portion as it is more lush. Its also easier to cut through. The dry stuff is rope material. I still prefer a Nakiri or veg cleaver for something like this.


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## Nemo (Jul 16, 2017)

tsuriru said:


> yeah....slicing through lemon grass is a tough one. I like to use fresh lemon grass and tend to prefer the bottom portion as it is more lush. Its also easier to cut through. The dry stuff is rope material. I still prefer a Nakiri or veg cleaver for something like this.



Because of the thinness?


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## tsuriru (Jul 16, 2017)

Nemo said:


> Because of the thinness?



Thinness for one, plus the double sided and tall heel makes it more comfortable in my opinion.


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## cheflivengood (Jul 16, 2017)

processed 30# the other day for an event. Thin edges do help a lot, but cutting the LG at a 45 degree angle helps a lot too. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWMKndrgMSq/?taken-by=cheflivengood

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWBjTaIA2oL/?taken-by=cheflivengood


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## ThEoRy (Jul 16, 2017)

I just use the side of a yo-deba and smash it like I'm smashing garlic. Then I just whack it into a couple of pieces. It gets strained out anyway.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Jul 16, 2017)

Splitting it lengthwise before slicing it helps - you want it cut as small as possible anyway 



Push or pull slice* depending on toughness/thinness... chinese cleaver or robust gyuto...

Or...blasphemy... rock chop/guilloutine and glide** with a knife suitable for that!

A very toothy edge would probably be like trying to plane wood with a sawblade...

*I mean push slice, wrist fulcrum, with a forward or backward angle, not a draw slice***!
**tip fulcrum guilloutine&glide
***which sounds feasible... and slow and/or dangerous! Who here can do hundreds of fast draw slices while keeping concentrated enough not to risk an accident?


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## Talim (Jul 16, 2017)

I actually like to dice mine. I do several lengthwise cuts then chop away.


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## Nemo (Jul 16, 2017)

cheflivengood said:


> processed 30# the other day for an event. Thin edges do help a lot, but cutting the LG at a 45 degree angle helps a lot too.
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/BWMKndrgMSq/?taken-by=cheflivengood
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/BWBjTaIA2oL/?taken-by=cheflivengood



Good idea.

Nice pics. What knife is that?


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## Nemo (Jul 16, 2017)

ThEoRy said:


> I just use the side of a yo-deba and smash it like I'm smashing garlic. Then I just whack it into a couple of pieces. It gets strained out anyway.



I'm gonna try this if I'm cooking something where its getting strained out (like last night's pho)


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## Nemo (Jul 16, 2017)

LifeByA1000Cuts said:


> Splitting it lengthwise before slicing it helps - you want it cut as small as possible anyway
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Good idea.

I push slice I must say.


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## Nemo (Jul 16, 2017)

Talim said:


> I actually like to dice mine. I do several lengthwise cuts then chop away.



I'll give this a go


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Jul 16, 2017)

Since I got so tangled up in terms... are there any clear names for push slicing with the slicing thrust being away (usually best with harder stuff or more precarious stacks) vs being towards the operator (usually faster if not much force needed. I'd still maintain it is both very different from a pure draw slice, and also different from the kind of slice you do with a yanagiba)?


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## Nemo (Jul 16, 2017)

LifeByA1000Cuts said:


> Since I got so tangled up in terms... are there any clear names for push slicing with the slicing thrust being away (usually best with harder stuff or more precarious stacks) vs being towards the operator (usually faster if not much force needed. I'd still maintain it is both very different from a pure draw slice, and also different from the kind of slice you do with a yanagiba)?



Good question.

New thread?


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## boomchakabowwow (Jul 16, 2017)

I use my Chinese cleaver. I pound the krap out of it with the spine first then flip it sharp side down and cut it thin on the bias.


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## Nemo (Jul 17, 2017)

boomchakabowwow said:


> I use my Chinese cleaver. I pound the krap out of it with the spine first then flip it sharp side down and cut it thin on the bias.



Sounds a bit like what Rick does. Gotta have a go at this next time.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Jul 17, 2017)

For straining it out, I have seen some recipes suggest you leave it long enough, bend it to separate the fibres, and tie it into a knot....


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## cheflivengood (Jul 17, 2017)

Nemo said:


> Good idea.
> 
> Nice pics. What knife is that?



Its a James Oatley in Damasteel Vineland Pattern


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## Nemo (Jul 17, 2017)

cheflivengood said:


> Its a James Oatley in Damasteel Vineland Pattern



You've got some nice knives, man.


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## cheflivengood (Jul 17, 2017)

Nemo said:


> You've got some nice knives, man.



Only the beggining....to my path of debt :tease:


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## DDPslice (Jul 24, 2017)

for cooking i just very finely slice with my way-too-sharp gyoto. for tea/broths/etc. I meat mallet the life out of it.


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## Nemo (Oct 24, 2018)

Just an update: I've found that splitting small stalks in half and big stalks into 4 then slicing on the oblique is much easier. Thanks everyone for your input.


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## rstl87 (Oct 26, 2018)

Nemo said:


> I'll give this a go


I also split it lengthwise as many times as I can before push cutting the rest finely. Seems to do the job.


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## omphacite (Nov 30, 2018)

I grate it using a microplane. Works well for my needs.


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## Nemo (Nov 30, 2018)

omphacite said:


> I grate it using a microplane. Works well for my needs.


Heracy! [emoji6]


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## akirapuff (Jan 13, 2019)

how about poultry shears?


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## Nemo (Jan 13, 2019)

akirapuff said:


> how about poultry shears?


More heracy!


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## dough (Jan 13, 2019)

What about a slap chop?

For the record I smash it with the back or side then chop it.


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## brooksie967 (Jan 13, 2019)

I dunno. I have no issues cutting lemongrass with my gyuto. I actually think lemongrass is my favorite thing to cut/the most satisfying thing to cut.


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## Nemo (Jan 13, 2019)

Yeah, I'm finding it mich easier with the technique I've described above.


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