Mince

To mince means to cut food into very small pieces, about 1 to 2 mm (1/16 inch) or smaller. It is the finest knife cut, smaller than finely chopped. The pieces do not need to be even cubes. Cooks mince garlic, ginger, shallots, chilies and fresh herbs so their flavor spreads through a dish.

How to do it

For a garlic clove:

1. Trim the hard root end and peel the clove.
2. Slice it thinly lengthwise, then cut the slices into thin strips.
3. Cut across the strips to make tiny pieces.
4. Rest your free hand flat on the spine of a chef's knife, near the tip, and rock the blade over the pile.
5. Scrape the pile back together with the spine and rock again until the pieces are as fine as you want.

For a paste, sprinkle a pinch of salt on the minced garlic and press and drag the flat of the blade across it a few times.

Why it works

Tiny pieces have a lot of surface area, so they give off their flavor fast and cook in seconds. Minced aromatics blend into a sauce or a dressing instead of sitting in it as lumps.

Common mistakes

• Mincing garlic in a hot pan for too long. Minced garlic burns in under a minute and turns bitter. Add it near the end or keep the heat moderate.
• Mincing herbs with a dull knife. It bruises them and leaves a dark, wet paste. Use a sharp knife and dry leaves.
• Mincing far ahead. Minced garlic and herbs lose their fresh flavor within a few hours.
• Using a garlic press and calling it minced. Pressed garlic is closer to crushed and tastes stronger.

In recipes

"Minced garlic" means very finely cut, not crushed to a paste. In British recipes, "mince" as a noun means ground meat, as in "beef mince". "Mincemeat" is a sweet mix of dried fruit, spices and fat used in pies.