In order to make quick meals there are a handfull of things you need to know. The most important (in my opinon) is knowing how to use your knife (which we also recently updated to HD and hope to post soon!).
Once you’ve got that down all you have to do is grasp a basic understanding of how to handle the ingredients you’re working with and you’ll be good to go!
So for this How-To I decided to tackle chopping an onion. Onions are one of the most commonly used ingredients in the kitchen, so I thought it would be a good place to start.
In this video I am showing you how to chop an onion, but remember, a chop and a dice are virtually the same thing. The major difference is that a dice is smaller but all-in-all the actions are the same. This technique is very simple and I promise once you see how it’s done, you’ll never shy away from an onion again!
*Since this is one of my more popular videos we decided to re-shoot it in HD. We shot this when I was about 6 months pregnant with Jachs and my ears were constantly clogged so that’s why I sound like I’m talking under water!
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Learning how to chop an onion this way was one of the greatest thing I have ever learned (well, along with smashing garlic to get the paper off). Thanks for making this video to get the word out!
Anticiplate – I agree, it is a major time saver. Oh, and by the way…I love the garlic trick as well;).
Oy…you just had to say 30 minute meal. Don’t compare yourself to Rachael Ray…because you’re not…you’re lightyears better than she is!
Marc – Oh, c’mon! I couldn’t resist;).
Hi Dani,
Not sure if I already left a comment, but wanted to thank you for the great chopping tips. I referenced your two great knife skills videos in my latest post and look for more exciting recipes and videos from you soon!
Brilliant!
Congradulations Dani, I was looking for a video to use in my class and you are the only one I could find that did it right. Keep up the good work!
Hi Dani! It doesn’t happen often, but recently I chopped up an onion and my eyes were tearing up so badly i had to walk away. I wonder how to prevent this? Some people say you have to cut out the core? Any ideas/thoughts/advice? Love your videos and recipes and miss our yoga classes!
Amy and Yvonne – I think this is the MOST common question when it comes to working with onions and I’ would be lying if I said that I’ve yet to find a tried and true method that really works. I find some onions can be worse than others and have heard this an be due to the freshness of the onion. Some people say to pop it in the freezer for twenty minutes before cutting (but who really has the time for that?!). If you cut the core out – you’re onion is going to fall to pieces it will take forever to try and chop up the rest of it.
My best advice… learn how to chop an onion properly so you can work QUICKLY – this way, you’re onion will be chopped before the tears the start rolling;) Any other readers have a method that has worked for you? We’d love to hear about it if you do!
This is great! BUT, how do you stop from crying while chopping an onion? I noticed you didn’t shed one tear!
YAY!!! I cant believe I never watched this before when Im so obsessed with your recipes! My husband – who trained as a chef – goes CRAZY about my lack of knife skills – not only because I usually chop and onion into about 3 pieces before throwing it i our soups – but also because he thinks he is going to end up married to an amputee (or whatever u call a generally limbless person!). I think (once I learn how to chop an onion) he will grow to love your buffalo cups EVEN more! I linked back to your recipes in a post yesterday (I think?) about boy approved veggie recipes. WE love u!!! xox