For bell peppers that boasted plenty of sweet, roasted flavor and were softened but not mushy, we turned to the broiler, not the oven or an open flame. Cutting the bell peppers into three pieces each so that they would lie flat helped them cook evenly. Broiling the pieces until the skin was well charred ensured maximum smoky flavor in the flesh beneath. Steaming the bell pepper pieces in a pouch fashioned from the aluminum foil on which they were cooked expedited peeling and cleanup.

For detail work, like peeling a hot, cooked potato for a savory gnocchi dish or julienning small vegetables for a healthy stir-fry recipe, we turn to a paring knife. Its smaller, more maneuverable, and slightly curved blade makes precision tasks faster and easier. Its small, pointed tip is also great for testing the tenderness of meat or vegetables. Although paring knives come in a range of shapes, we prefer the versatility of the classic style, which resembles a mini chef’s knife with its slightly curved blade and pointed tip.

For a home cook–friendly version of this classic Japanese noodle stir-fry, we started by isolating the best possible supermarket alternatives to hard-to-find Japanese ingredients. In place of chewy yakisoba noodles, we use lo mein noodles (which also contain an alkaline ingredient that gives them some elasticity) and undercook them to enhance their chew. We also rinse them very well with cold water, which removes surface starches and makes them appropriately slick. We treat thinly sliced flank steak with baking soda to ensure that each piece is tender and juicy. Soy sauce, Worcestershire, ketchup, and rice wine vinegar make up the savory-sweet sauce—a facsimile of the traditional version made with Japanese Worcestershire sauce.

Compared with a classic chef’s knife, the santoku is typically shorter and has a thinner blade, a stubbier tip, and a straighter edge. They shine in tasks requiring more delicate or precise knife work, such as thinly slicing carrots. Compared with a chef’s knife, the thinner blade of the santoku is able to cut through the dense carrot more smoothly: The narrower the blade, the less food material has to be moved out of the way as the blade slices, while a thicker blade requires more force, as it acts more like a wedge. While supplies last. Offer ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on September 25, 2017.