The onion is a good seasoning in all kinds of dishes. Too bad it makes you cry when you slice it. Our Emma was convinced there was another way and went to investigate. Turns out: you can slice onions without shedding a tear. With a little help.
But first: a bit of theory. Because why do you actually cry when you cut an onion?
Tears caused by acid
Those tears come from the sulfur-containing substance released when you cut an onion. When this substance comes in contact with a wet surface, the moisture in your eye in this case, it creates a kind of sulphuric acid. This acid irritates your eyes, causing them to tear, in order to work that substance out as quickly as possible. To prevent this process, you can use a number of different methods. I have listed them for you below.
Under water
If you cut an onion under water, the zwaffle acid has no chance to be released, and so you keep it (cork) dry. For example, fill a salad bowl with water or cut the onions in the (clean) sink. If you prefer to just cut on a cutting board, you can also hold the knife under water for a moment or two while cutting.
In the freezer
This takes a bit of preparation because of your schedule. Put the onions in the freezer 15 minutes before you cut them. This will release fewer enzymes (= fewer tears) during slicing. Worth a try, right? READ ALSO: How can I speed up my metabolism?
On the Cutting Edge
Make sure you use a good, sharp knife to cut the onion. This is because a blunt knife cuts less, and crushes more. That crushing releases more sulphurous substances, which makes your eyes water more. With a sharp knife, you cut smoothly(er) through the onion.
Blow them away
Have you already put away the fan after that hot weather? Time to put it back, in the kitchen in this case. If you run a fan on the countertop while you slice onions, most of the swirling gases will be blown away, instead of ending up straight into your eyes. Turning on the hood can also help.
Heat
Warmth also seems to help against crying. For example, put a lit candle next to the cutting board. Kind of cozy. READ ALSO: Gezond uit eten, hoe doe je dat?
Zet een bril op
Zet je bril op tijdens het snijden. Zo hebben de gassen meer moeite met bij je ogen te komen. Je kunt 'professionele' uien-snij-brillen kopen (Google maar eens), maar kunt ook gewoon je zonnebril opzetten. Krijg je het vakantiegevoel er gratis bij.
Verander van ui
Helpt dit allemaal niet, en wil je echt van dat huilen af? Dan zou je kunnen overwegen de 'gewone' uien te vervangen door groene uien of bosuitjes. Hiervan zul je niet gaan tranen tijdens het snijden, al hebben ze wel een iets andere smaak. Dit artikel is geschreven door Emma. Emma (32) is hobbykok en weet heel veel over gezonde én lekkere voeding. Vanuit haar keuken in Haarlem maakt ze de smakelijkste recepten voor zichzelf en haar peuter, uiteraard passend bij de NewFysic methode. Wekelijks inspireert ze met een nieuw recept of leuke tip die de weg naar een gezonde leefstijl leuk en makkelijker maken. Foto: Caroline Attwood via Unsplash
