Be a Better Home Cook! This Just Maika Cooking: Cook’s Notebook section will focus on everything related to prepping herbs connected to all my recipe posts, updated frequently.
Jump to:

You Don’t Always Have to Chop!
Some recipes will call for herbs to be prepared, like greens. Just like the Fresh Hoisin Mushrooms Noodle Bowl with Spicy Peanut Sauce, giving it that extra kick of flavor.
Check out other helpful tips on Prepping to Save Time in the Kitchen.
How to Chop Dill?

Pinch off the dark green dill leaves between the bottom of the last leaves and stem.

Bunch the dill leaves together with one hand.

Chop the bunch moving horizontally.

Keep a hold of the rest of the dill bunched up while chopping.

Use the hand to hold the blade's tip to move in a rocking motion to chop.

Then, turn your knife horizontally while holding down the blade's tip and chop, moving it vertically while rocking it.

Chop one more time, moving horizontally with the blade.

Voila!
Chopping dill for the Aleppo Pepper Siced Vegetarian Borscht recipe.
How to Use a Salad Spinner?

Learn how to use the Salad Spinner to Wash and Dry your Herbs
Highly Rated Salad Spinners
Video Overview: Use Roughly Chopped Herbs
How to Chop Herbs

You can do this with any small flat-leaf herbs but do not use this for basil or mint leaves, which require a different cutting method. Start by bunching the herbs together with your hands.

Hold the bunch with one hand and your knife with the other. Slice the leaves thinly as you move across the bunch.

Turn your knife to a horizontal position and, with a rocking motion, chop from top to bottom.

Turn your knife back to a vertical position and, with a rocking motion, again go from right to left; unless you are left-handed, you’ll start from the opposite direction.

Keep chopping alternatively in the horizontal and vertical positions until the herbs are the size you desire.

Once you're done, scrap all the chopped pieces together to form a neat pile.

Scrap up the leaves using your blade knife or a bench scrap to add to whatever recipe item or container.
Leave a Reply