The nakiri bōchō, or nakiri, was traditionally one of the most important knives found in Japanese home kitchens. Translated roughly, nakiri bōchō means “leaf-cutting knife”; it’s meant for slicing, dicing, and chopping vegetables, which form the backbone of Japanese cuisine. It has a rectangular blade with a relatively straight edge and a blunted tip. The edge allows you to maximize contact with the cutting board, so you can chop large bunches of leeks or carrots more efficiently. As the blade is fairly straight, you cut in a more-or-less up-and-down motion instead of rocking the blade from tip to heel, as you would with a Western knife. Relatively tall from cutting edge to spine, the blade is also great for keeping large foods or piles of greens in line as you work your way through them, allowing you to make perfectly straight, even cuts. It’s also good for scooping up the cut food when you’re done with it.
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