Burning and watery eyes when chopping onions? It doesn't have to be. We have tips for you on how to keep your eyes dry.
Onions are part of many dishes, they not only give them a touch of spiciness, but also provide a great aroma.
But cutting onions isn't easy. It's not about cutting the vegetables themselves, but rather about the side effects such as tears in your eyes and odor on your hands.
But there are solutions for that too, so no one has to go without onions in the kitchen. You can also cut onions in different ways. We present the individual variants to you here.
Avoid tears while cutting
The biggest difficulty in slicing the onions is trying to do it without shedding tears. The essential oils in onions are released when you cut them and rise up into your eyes. Depending on how hot the onions are, you may have to cry more or less.
There are several ways to avoid tears when cutting. Not every one works for everyone, you just have to find the best solution for yourself.
✓ Tip 1: Glasses provide protection
Sometimes it's enough to wear glasses when chopping onions, but it's even better if you get simple swimming goggles. This seals perfectly all around and does not let any vapors through. It might look silly, but that way, tears won't run down your cheeks.
✓ Tip 2: Combine onions and water
You can also put the onion in cold water just before slicing or put it in the freezer for a few minutes. Depending on how sensitive you are, it is often sufficient to moisten the cutting board. Of course, don't wipe it afterwards.
✓ Tip 3: Sharp knife the A and O
When cutting onions, it is extremely important that the knife is very sharp. Blunt knives are more likely to cause tears. And then don't press while cutting, just pull the knife.
✓ Tip 4: Liquid in the mouth
Many swear by putting some water in your mouth and drinking it duringto keep cuttings in. So you can't talk in the meantime, but tears won't roll down anymore. Instead of water, of course, you can also have a sip of wine or beer. ?
✓ Tip 5: The best place
Where do you cut your onions? Of course on the free work surface. Try it under the switched-on extractor hood. That way the essential oils can go straight out.
✓ Tip 6: Proper breathing
If you are not quite as susceptible, you can suppress the small tears with the right breathing technique. Just breathe in and out through your mouth while cutting and stop shedding tears.
By the way: It also helps if you whistle while slicing the onion. this way you blow away the unpleasant fumes.
Get Rid of Onion Smell
The smell of the onion may linger on your hands for a few days after cutting. You can find special “soaps” made of stainless steel on the market. (Here cheap at Amazon) This neutralizes the smell of onions under running water. A cheap alternative is rubbing a spoon between your hands while washing.
Other options include rubbing palms with damp s alt or lemon juice.
Cutting onions made easy - 2 variants presented
» Dice onions
First peel the onion carefully, then cut it in half lengthways from root to tip. However, the root of the onion is not removed. Then place one half cut-side down on a cutting board, fingertips resting slightly flexed on the onion to hold it in place.
You can then simply guide the knife along the joints of your fingers. First, carefully cut the half of the onion into strips, but only up to just before the root, this should still hold the onion together. Now the onion is cut horizontally three times, again until just before the root. Finally, cut the onion across the grain, it will then fall into fine cubes all by itself.
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» Cut the onions into rings
First the onion is carefully peeled off. Then remove the leek and cut the onion into evenly thick slices. The individual layers of the onion form the rings. So all you have to do is take them apartpress.
» Tip: If you want to eat the rings raw, they should be about 1 mm wide, for frying or frying they can also be a little wider.