Today it’s all about getting the Japanese knives out (only for cooking purposes of course), we’ll learn everything you should know about the Santoku knife! It’s one of Japanese most used knives, you can find them literally all over the country, from home kitchen to professional Michelin star restaurants. What’s the fuzz about Japanese knives all about? Find out now!
What is Santoku?
In Japan the knife is called Santoku bocho – which is roughly translated to “three uses” or “three virtues” (the uses we’ll explain afterwards). The knife isn’t really that old (although the name sounds like the samurai used it for centuries, but they didn’t) it originated in the 1940s! After the war different cuisine and cultures clashed into Japan, and suddenly there was a need for a new knife. Something similar to a chef knife was needed, but it needed to be more elegant and easier to operate. A multi-purpose Japanese knife was invented – the Santoku!
Santoku knife characteristics?
We’ll try to explain the most important knife characteristics with some simple words. First of all, the basic shape of Santoku is called “sheepsfoot” blade because it resembles a sheep’s hoof. The tip of the blade has no curve whatsoever, because the basic cutting motion of the knife is straight down! There is no “chef’s knife” motion while cutting, just a simple straight-down-vertical-chopping motion! This simple design allows much control of the knife and really simple use. Furthermore, the blade is made from hard and thin steel, which makes this knife really a lightweight among knives. On top of that, the knife is shorter (15-18 cm, 6-7 in) than a chef’s knife, and (because of these reasons, and the ones above) is very popular with female (but also male) chefs around the world.
Santoku knife uses!
As we said before, the meaning of Santoku bocho is translated to “three virtues” or “three uses”. There is somewhat a debate about what these uses would be. The most common understanding says it’s a knife used for slicing, dicing and mincing, let’s say a classic all purpose knife. Some also say that the knife is used for vegetables, fish and meat, and there are some virtues in that also. Nevertheless, the knife is used for every situation in which a classic chef’s knife is used, on top of that it’s mostly easier to handle.
That’s it my little samurai! Today you learned a few facts that can make a big difference in your kitchen, either professional or at home. The santoku knife is made very effectively and this makes it really easy to use, that’s why it’s one of the most popular knives nowadays. Try it out for yourself and let us know how you feel about your Santoku knife!?
