How to Julienne Carrots and Other Vegetables

During our lunch at Young Dong Tofu - San Gabriel, Pink Candles at Ridgemont High and I were talking about julienning vegetables. Was it when the Korean Cold Buckwheat Noodle Salad was brought out and we were admiring the artfully arranged platter? Or was it a discussion of cooking techniques in general?

In any case, I was telling her how I do it, and wondered whether I should blog such things. And she said I should since she didn't know. So, in case you'd like to slice your carrots or other vegetables like how I do mine, so you get something like this...


How to Julienne Carrots and Other Vegetables

There's really not much to it. You can slice the carrot into segments and then slice them again vertically into strips and then the other way. But instead, I start by slicing the carrot on the diagonal. For some reason this is much easier for me to slice thinly than just straight up and down. Probably because the vegetable doesn't roll as much.


Then stack the slices on top of each other and slice again into small strips.


See? Much more thinly sliced carrot strips than if you do it the other way.


Then you'll have a lovely pile of matchsticks that you can use to make Do Chua (Vietnamese Sour Stuff ie. Carrots and Daikon).


Or to use in salads.


Or cold noodle dishes like Bun Nem Nuong Hanh La Cha Gio Chay (Vietnamese Rice Vermicelli Noodles with Grilled Pork Patties with Scallions and Vegetarian Egg Rolls). See how naked it looks without carrots?


And how much more colorful the Bun Cha Gio Chay (Vietnamese Rice Vermicelli Noodles with Vegetarian Egg Rolls) looks with julienned carrots?


Other tips can be found in "Peek in My Kitchen."

*****
1 year ago today, So-Yah! Red Vindaloo Curry Tofu Shirataki Noodles.
2 years ago today, Cochinita/Puerco Pibil (Mexican Slow-Roasted Pork).
3 years ago today, Tropical Fruit Cocktail Delight.
4 years ago today, Buttermilk Biscuits from homemade buttermilk, a by-product of my homemade butter.