If you’ve been interested in the different types of Japanese knives, you’ve probably seen the knife known as Nakiri. It’s the one that looks like a cleaver, but it’s thinner and used for vegetables rather than meat. The Nakiri will undoubtedly become your new go-to tool for fast chopping and simple preparation if you’re searching for a knife that can deliver exquisite delicacy and precision.
What Is a Nakiri Knife Good For?
Generally speaking, a Japanese-style Nakiri knife is most frequently used for chopping, slicing, and dicing vegetables. Instead of having a sharp tip and a straight, symmetrical edge, this double-bevelled knife has a rounded edge. Despite having a cleaver-like appearance, the knife is lighter overall, the steel is thinner, and the blade is shorter in length and height. Its main feature is its straight blade, which encourages a specific cutting style.
Why Do You Need One in Your Kitchen?
Have you ever chopped vegetables for a stir-fry and found them stuck together like paper dolls? That’s because a curved knife can’t completely cut through some vegetables’s skin. Because the Nakiri’s flat edge makes greater contact with the cutting board, the cuts are cleaner.
The nakiri can act as the “Sous Chef” for your huge 240mm Gyuto in your kitchen. It completes the labour-intensive preparation after the Gyuto, the Japanese knife alternative to the Western chef’s knife, which always goes first. A professional Nakiri Japanese knife can cut scalloped potatoes for a big family dinner, chop ten onions for soup, or make a quick stir-fry in minutes.
While you can also use your nakiri for simple jobs like chopping herbs and mincing garlic, it can also take down a 2.5-kilo head of cabbage or a thick bed of kale. This knife is essential for vegetarians or vegans, as it’s the perfect wildcard to finish a larger collection but an excellent first knife, too.
How to Pick a Nakiri Knife?
As with any other knife, when picking a professional-grade Nakiri knife, you should consider how it feels, paying close attention to the blade length, handle material, and weight. Consider it an investment regardless of the cost. It will last you decades if you take good care of it.
Consider the Overall Feel
The most efficient approach to test any blade is to hold it in your hand. Is the weight comfortable? How does the knife handle feel, particularly where the handle and blade meet? Since here is where you hold the knife, it’s important that your fingers are in this position and that you feel secure in your hold. The sensation of control over the blade can also be affected by slight variations in length; practice a few cutting motions.
When placing an online order, see whether you can exchange the cutter for another if it doesn’t feel comfortable in your hands; check with the store for their return and exchange policies. When browsing the nakiri kitchen knife range, compare the knife’s weight and blade shape to your favourite that you currently own.
Look at the Knife’s Handle
Similar to other Japanese knives, most nakiris have a light, softwood handle. This alternative is a welcome change for your chopping arm if you’re used to most Western knives’ weighty, curved, triple-riveted handles. For some reason, the Japanese design of knife handles makes them even more comfortable than their European equivalents.
The straight, flat design of this knife’s handle, joined to the blade by two rivets, is its distinguishing feature. Even with larger hands, that enables a smoother and easier grasping motion. Because dirt can’t gather in its crevices, making it generally easier to clean, this design is also more hygienic.
Pick the Right Blade
While choosing the right blade is important, most nakiri have blades with sharpness levels that are usually too subtle for a beginner cook to detect. The only thing to look out for is a patina-prone edge. Over time, Japanese knives acquire a protective patina because they have a lower chromium content. Look for patterned or rough blades because these are the usual signs of possible future patina.
Choose the Correct Material
Carbon steel, stainless steel, and Damascus steel are the most often used materials for nakiri. Stainless steel is a popular option since it requires significantly less maintenance and stays strong and sharp for longer. The use of carbon prolongs the strength of steel. Maintenance consequently takes more effort and time. Another popular choice is Damascus steel, which has a carbon core and a stainless steel shell. It combines the flexibility of stainless steel with the hardness of carbon steel.
Check Dimensions
The Nakiri Japanese knife comes in sizes from 120mm to 240mm and features a long, thin, rectangular blade with a straight edge, with 165mm and 180mm being the most common sizes.
The Nakiri’s normally tall blade offers comfortable knuckle clearance. It’s also important to note that the Nakiri has a distinct advantage due to its tall, flat, rectangular blade design, which keeps its length constant even after repeated sharpening. As the blade is sharpened, the curved edges of other Japanese knives, such as the Santoku or the Gyuto, will get shorter.
