Look at yourself, you savage. Stabbing and pinching your meats like they insulted your mother. Those cubes of soon to be gingered pork used to be a living creature with feelings and whatever. The least you can do is treat it with a modicum of dignity. You need to get acquainted with saibashi, Japanese kitchen chopsticks. Not as clumsy and random as tongs, Saibashi are an elegant tool for a more civilized cook space.
Saibashi are like regular chopsticks that you'd use to eat with, but they are around twice as long. They are commonly used for high temperature operations (e.g., frying and simmering) where you want your hand as far away from the food as comfortably possible. The most common materials for saibashi are wood and bamboo because of their heat-resistant properties and general availability.
Use a pair of saibashi anytime you need to handle hot food both delicately and quickly. It's easy to switch from plucking to stirring to flipping with saibashi. Once you get comfortable with them, they function as an extension of your fingers.
The beauty of the saibashi lies in their simplicity. There are countless ways to use a pair of tapered wooden sticks, limited only by your imagination. Use one to unclog a bottle of ketchup. Keep a pair by your grill instead of tongs. Assemble a make shift drum kit out of pots and pans, using your saibashi as drumsticks. Sometimes I use mine as a back scratcher.
You should be able to find saibashi anywhere Asian cooking supplies (woks, fancy Japanese knives, etc.) are sold. If not, or if you live in the middle of nowhere, Amazon.com is your friend. A solid pair of saibashi shouldn't cost you more than $5. I bought mine from a 100 yen store a year ago and they're still going strong. Get a pair with ridged tips to make handling slippery foods much easier.
Saibashi are like regular chopsticks that you'd use to eat with, but they are around twice as long. They are commonly used for high temperature operations (e.g., frying and simmering) where you want your hand as far away from the food as comfortably possible. The most common materials for saibashi are wood and bamboo because of their heat-resistant properties and general availability.
Use a pair of saibashi anytime you need to handle hot food both delicately and quickly. It's easy to switch from plucking to stirring to flipping with saibashi. Once you get comfortable with them, they function as an extension of your fingers.
The beauty of the saibashi lies in their simplicity. There are countless ways to use a pair of tapered wooden sticks, limited only by your imagination. Use one to unclog a bottle of ketchup. Keep a pair by your grill instead of tongs. Assemble a make shift drum kit out of pots and pans, using your saibashi as drumsticks. Sometimes I use mine as a back scratcher.
You should be able to find saibashi anywhere Asian cooking supplies (woks, fancy Japanese knives, etc.) are sold. If not, or if you live in the middle of nowhere, Amazon.com is your friend. A solid pair of saibashi shouldn't cost you more than $5. I bought mine from a 100 yen store a year ago and they're still going strong. Get a pair with ridged tips to make handling slippery foods much easier.
About the Author:
There is a reason why Tokyo has more Michelin stars than Paris. Kitchens in Japan are a fascinating product of centuries of culinary heritage. If you want to learn more about Japanese Kitchens, recipes, and techniques, check out my blog at fareastcoastkitchen.com.
