Melody Teh
Food & Wine

The fastest way to cut fruit and veggies

Whether you cook a little or a lot, after any time spent in the kitchen, you’ve probably wondered if there’s an easier way to cut fruit and vegetables. The answer is yes: there is.

1. The onion

The onion is the bane of all preppers’ existence. They’re hard to hold, they make you cry, and many of us would be lying if we said we’ve never cut our fingers in the process. So the fastest way to cut an onion? Half the onion, lengthwise. Cut off the onion’s ends and peel off its skin. With each half’s flat-side down, dice the onion. No tears necessary.

2. Cherry tomatoes

This method is pretty ingenious. Place the tomatoes on a plate and top with another plate, holding the tomatoes in between: firmly, but not so firmly that you squish them. Using a sharp knife, cut in between the two plates from one end to the other. Your tomatoes will be cut in half and you didn’t even have to look at them while you did it. It’s almost magic.

3. Kiwi fruit

Cut each end off of the kiwi fruit and use a spoon to peel the kiwi’s flesh off, circling around the fruit. Then place the kiwi on its side and slice into disks!

4. Capsicum

Capsicums couldn’t be easier. Cut the top and bottom off the capsicum and, using your hand, pull out its insides. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise. Rinse off any remaining seeds and slice into strips.

5. Mangoes

If you’ve never seen a mango cut before, odds are your first attempt is going to be wrong. Mangoes have a long pit down their centre. Cut the cheeks off along either side of this vertical pit. In each cheek half, cut a grid into the mango (lines going up and lines going down, creating squares) then push from the peel side to pop the cubes so they’re standing up. Cut off the remaining delicious mango flesh that is around the pit. And that’s how it’s done!

Image: Getty Images

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tips, lifestyle, food and wine, at home