Bias cut

A bias cut is a slice made at an angle instead of straight across. The angle is usually around 45 degrees. On a long, round vegetable such as a carrot, it gives you oval slices with more surface area than a straight slice of the same thickness.

How to do it

1. Lay the vegetable flat on the board, at a right angle to you.
2. Turn your knife, not the vegetable, so the blade meets it at about 45 degrees. A steeper angle gives longer ovals.
3. Hold the vegetable with your fingertips curled under, knuckles against the side of the blade.
4. Slice down and forward in one smooth stroke. Keep each slice the same thickness, often 3 to 6 mm (1/8 to 1/4 inch).
5. Move your guiding hand back the same distance after each cut so the angle and thickness stay the same.

Why it works

An angled slice has more cut surface than a straight one. More surface means more contact with the hot pan, so the pieces cook faster and pick up more browning and sauce. That is why bias-cut vegetables are common in stir-fries, where everything cooks in a few minutes.

How to use it

• Carrots, celery and asparagus for stir-fries and roasting.
• Scallions (spring onions in the UK) as a garnish on noodles and rice.
• Baguette for crostini and bruschetta, which gives larger toasts from a thin loaf.
• Cooked sausage and cucumber for platters.

Common mistakes

• Changing the angle as you go, so the slices come out in different shapes.
• Cutting too thin at a steep angle. Long, thin ovals break and burn.
• Letting the vegetable roll. Cut a thin strip off one side first if it will not sit still.

In recipes

"Cut on the bias", "slice on the diagonal" and "slice at an angle" all mean this cut. If you turn the vegetable a quarter turn between each angled cut, you get a roll cut instead.