Stop crying in the kitchen: learn to cut onions without crying
Chopping onions is one of the most annoying tasks in the kitchen. And even for those who adore the culinary arts, it takes all the willpower they have to start and finish this process.
Good news: you no longer need to bravely swallow tears and endure the pain in your eyes! Knife masters shared life hacks on how to cut onions without crying.
Why does it sting my eyes and make me cry when cutting onions?
Tearing when cutting onions is caused by a volatile substance in its composition - lachrymator (from Latin - “tear”). The compound is released when the cells of the vegetable are damaged. A side effect of the volatile substance is the ability to cause tears.
Getting onto the mucous membrane of the eye in the form of steam and interacting with moisture, the lachrymator releases sulfuric acid, which irritates the tissues and causes pain. The body tries to protect the mucous membrane by actively secreting tear fluid.
To avoid crying when chopping onions, you need to reduce the activity of the lachrymator. There are several ways to do this.
How to stop crying and cut onions without crying
It is believed that professional chefs and experienced housewives do not cry while chopping onions because their eyes and tear glands become accustomed to the process. In reality the situation is different: Any person, having the necessary knowledge, will make it easier for himself to cook with onions.
Freezing
Place the onion in the freezer for 10 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before you start cutting it up.Cooling will slow down the release of sulfur compounds, which cause tears and eye irritation. It is recommended to cool the carving knife as well.
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Warming up
To avoid irritation and tears, cut the onion into large pieces, put them in a boiling pan for a couple of minutes, and then continue cutting.
Under the water
What can you do to avoid crying onions if you don't have enough time to freeze them in the freezer? Run the bulbs under cold running water. You can cut them directly under running water or in a container under water. Substances that cause tears are soluble in liquid. The water will wash them away before they reach your eyes.
Next to the ferry
You can cut the onion next to boiling water - the steam will disperse the tear agent.
Next to the candle
An open flame can burn sulfur compounds.. Light a candle and place it near the cutting board. If the kitchen has a gas stove, cut the product next to a working burner.
Sharp knife
A well-sharpened knife can help prevent the onion from stinging your eyes. Thanks to its sharpness makes clear cuts, thereby damaging fewer onion cells. As a result, the release of lachrymator is significantly reduced. A sharp knife will help you cut faster, which will reduce the amount of time your eyes are exposed to fumes. Additionally, periodically wet the blade under running cold water.
Spectacled
Sealed Scuba diving goggles will perfectly protect your eyes from caustic fumes. The main thing is that they fit snugly to the area around the eyes.
Using a wooden spoon
Popular legend says that if you hold a wooden spoon in your mouth, it will absorb the sulfur fumes and protect your eyesight. However experts believe that this method is not only inconvenient, but also ineffective.
Drinking water while chopping onions
What can you do to prevent onions from stinging your eyes if you don’t have any additional products at hand? Use plain water, it is a universal filter and solvent for substances. When slicing, it can be used in several ways.:
- wet the knife;
- take a mouthful of cold water;
- wash, but do not wipe your face.
Read also:
Garlic peel: beneficial properties and methods of use
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Chewing gum
Chewing gum will help cut the onion to prevent your eyes from watering. Alternatively, use parsley instead of chewing gum.
Other methods and life hacks
A few more ways that will help prevent tearing when chopping onions:
- Do not trim the root of the onion at the beginning of cooking. It is this part that contains the largest amount of sulfur compounds, so it should be disposed of last.
- Moisten a cutting board with a mixture of water and vinegar in equal proportions. Vinegar will stop the release of harmful fumes. If the mixture does not help, increase the concentration of vinegar, but this may affect the taste of the onions in the finished dish.
- Sprinkle the cutting board with salt.
- You can peel an onion without tears by sticking your tongue out.
- Before cutting, soak the bulbs in warm, lightly salted water for a few minutes.
- Open the window slightly or place a fan near the cooking area, which will drive away the steam released by the cut onion from your face.
- Take a slice of bread into your mouth, leaving half of it sticking out. It will help absorb onion fumes.
- Place two matches in your mouth with the sulfur heads facing inward.
- Turn on the hood.
- If there is a burning sensation, smell something with a strong odor. This will kill the sulfuric matter.
- Breathe through your mouth. This way you will draw in the irritating substance before it reaches eye level.
- Talk, sing or read poetry - air vibrations will carry sulfur vapor away from your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Blow on the onion as you cut.
- Rub the board with a lemon slice. Citrus neutralizes the effect of onion secretions.
- Use a food processor. But don't open it right away so the fumes don't reach your eyes.
Reviews
Housewives deal with tearing while cutting onions in different ways..
Irina, 27 years old: “I’m sharing a great way to cut onions without crying. You will need a hood, the bow itself and a board with a knife. Turn the hood on high, place a cutting board directly underneath it on the stove, and start cutting. Beauty!".
Ekaterina, 43 years old: “It’s very simple: peel the onion, cut it in half under running cold water (if the onion is vigorous or large, then into 4 parts) and put it in the freezer for 3-5 minutes. That's all! I’ve long forgotten the last time I cried from an onion.”.
Tasha, 30 years old: “I read online that you need to place a lit candle next to the board. I checked it, it works! You can peel tons of onions this way – no tears! I hope someone finds this advice useful.".
Conclusion
The process of cutting onions can really be made comfortable, without tears, irritation and pain in the eyes. The most effective way is to use a sharp knife and pre-freeze the onion in the refrigerator. If you don't have time for this, try other effective life hacks.
Complete nonsense!
Have you written an article or essay on the topic? The first chapter in the article is a controversial issue.
There is no information about the “lacrimator” substance in onions on medical, forensic or botanical websites (which I know and am confident in the veracity of the information). A lachrymator is generally a type of chemical weapon.
There is no mention of onions anywhere. But on strange websites they describe in detail that onions contain a lachrymator! When I was studying, they didn’t tell us this either. It is better to rely on trusted sources.
Moreover, I even looked in my books on plants; Well, they don’t say that onions contain a substance called lachrymator. Maybe, of course, my books are outdated, but not that much
Yes, it’s a lachrymator, not a lachrymator - the main thing is not what to call it, but how to protect yourself from it and not howl in 3 streams when slicing!))