Basil is a strong, flavorful herb that often goes in many recipes. But did you know that there’s a specific way of cutting basil leaves? Or Which knife to use?
Yes, you might not have yet thought of it but cutting the basil right away makes it look amazing especially if you use the basil leaves for garnishing.
And today we’ll be talking all about basil leave and how to cut them to form basil chiffonade.
Which Knife To Use for Cutting Basil Leaves?
There are so many kitchen knives. Chef, bread, carving, and boning knife, are only a few to name out of many. And not all knives are best to cut basil leaves.
It is because basil leaves are small and tender and are best cut by using a sharp kitchen knife or chef’s knife.
And it is easy to find a good sharp knife in any household as we use it for cutting many different ingredients like carrots, cucumber, cabbage, onions, etc.
So in short, any kitchen knife or chef knife is ideal for chopping basil leaves.
(Useful Tip: Do not use a blunt knife or a knife with a serrated edge, sharpen your knives if they are blunt or chipped)
How to Cut Basil Chiffonade
Chiffonade sounds like a heavy word. But in reality, it is very easy to cut basil chiffonade. It will only take you a little practice to master the art of chiffonade.
Follow the below instructions to cut the best basil chiffonade at home easily.
1. Rinse the Basil Leaves
It is very important to properly rinse the basil leaves under running water. This is because these leaves carry dirt and sometimes harmful bacteria. Simply rinsing them under your sink will get rid of both dirt and germs.
2. Prepare the Leaves for Cut
The next step is to separate the basil leaves from the stem. Use your fingers to pull the fresh basil leaves.
(Tip: Hold the end of the basil leaves while pulling it apart from the stem to avoid tearing from the middle)
3. Dip the fresh leaves into the water
Collect all the leaves of the herb and throw them into a large bowl. Now, fill this bowl with cold water. Let the leaves sit in cold water for about 20-30 seconds. Make sure to fill the bowl halfway such that all the leaves are properly submerged.
4. Pat them Dry
Now take the basil leaves out from the bowl and lay them directly over one side of a clean kitchen cloth. Once all the leaves are out, top them with the other half of the cloth and pat dry. Do not apply too much pressure, just gently pat them dry.
5. Roll the fresh basil leaves
Here comes the main part of making basil chiffonade. Stack the fresh basil leaves by placing the larger ones first followed by the smaller leaves.
Use your finger to hold the leaves in place while you stack. You should stack 7-8 basil leaves for cutting a good quantity of chiffonade.
Now tightly roll the leaves lengthwise, similar to that of a cigar. Keep the roll as tight as possible.
6. Make the Cut
Now grab your sharp kitchen knife and begin cutting the rolled basil leaves from the tip. Cut as thin as possible for a better chiffonade.
Once the cut is done, put the knife aside and use your finger to gently toss the thinly sliced long ribbons of basil leaves. Doing so will separate the ribbons making it easier for you to garnish.
Note: Always use a good quality wooden cutting board made from walnut or acacia wood.
Wrapping Up
Selecting the right knife is important while cutting any ingredient. And thankfully, there are so many knives available today for doing the specific cutting.
A sharp kitchen knife or chef knife is a perfect choice for cutting basil chiffonade. Not only will it keeps your fingers safe but also slice long ribbons in one go.
And these long ribbons are called chiffonade which can be cut from spinach, swiss chard, or similar leafy vegetables.
Now that you’ve got the right technique to cut basil chiffonade, we’re sure that you’ll creatively garnish homemade food like a professional chef.
