Chinese chef's knife: a characteristic tool

You can recognize the Chinese chef's knife from its rectangular blade. The blade is approximately 18 to 20 cm long and 10 cm high. But don't be mistaken, these aren't cleavers! While the blade of a cleaver is robust, the blade of a Chinese chef's knife is wafer-thin and razor-sharp. As such it cannot be used to chop with. 

In the Chinese kitchen this chef's knife is often used because the height of the blade enables you to easily use your fingers as a guide as you use the knife. It works safely and quickly and is very practical. You use a Chinese chef's knife to finely cut herbs and vegetables, but a Chinese chef's knife can also be used to, for instance, crush garlic. And with the high blade you can easily scoop the cut vegetables or herbs in the pan.

Cutting technique 

With a Chinese chef's knife you use a cutting technique that is different from the technique used for European chef's knives. The Chinese chef's knife doesn't 'rock' on the surface but moves diagonally from back-top to front-down. The knife constantly remains in a horizontal position.