Читать книгу Indian Cooking For Dummies - Monisha Bharadwaj - Страница 48

After you’ve bought that lovely, expensive knife, you’ll want to look after it to make sure it does its job for a long time to come. Here are my best tips for caring for your knives:

 Use knives only for the purpose they were intended. I know it probably happens in every home, but it makes me mad when someone in my family (I’m not naming names) uses one of my kitchen knives to rip open a cardboard box. It dulls the blade, and the knife isn’t meant for that job. If you have someone who does that in your house, hide your knives — or threaten them.

 Store your knives separately. Don’t just throw your knives in with everything else in your cutlery drawer. Keep them in a separate compartment, in a knife block, or attached to a magnetic strip on the kitchen wall. (Just make sure if they’re attached to a magnetic strip, they can’t be knocked off and fall to the ground where they could harm your feet, pets, or children underneath.)

 Use soap, warm water, and a soft sponge to clean your knives immediately after using them. If you leave them caked with food to be washed later, you’ll be tempted to use steel wool on them, but steel wool may scratch or dull the blade. I never put my knives in the dishwasher and don’t ever soak them either. Dry them with a soft tea towel and put them back into storage after use. A knife is like a child: Neglect it and it won’t turn out well.

 Keep your knives sharp. A sharp knife is possibly the most essential tool in any kitchen. Just try using a blunt knife, and you’ll know the meaning of frustration. Plus, a dull blade requires more pressure, which increases the risk of the knife slipping and injuring you. Invest in a good knife sharpener that you can use each month to keep that blade sharp. A knife steel can give you an uneven edge if you use different strokes each time, and they hone more than they sharpen. Sharpening involves the removal of a tiny amount of metal, so for a home cook, it’s probably a good idea to let a sharpener with a constant angle do the job. Always wipe the blade with some paper towel after you’ve sharpened it, holding the knife with the sharp end facing away from you. Your local butcher or kitchen store may be able to help you with professional sharpening if you prefer.