Matchstick pieces are small, uniform cuts of food that cook quickly and add texture to dishes. They can be made by julienning with a knife or mandoline, and are often used in stir-fries, salads, and coleslaw. They can also be used as an accent in dishes.
Matchstick chunks are pieces of food that have been cut to be very small; they are often the size of matchsticks, hence the name. There are many uses for matchstick pieces, from french fries to salads; their small and uniform size makes them extremely versatile. Most commonly, matchstick pieces are cut from firm vegetables such as carrots, although meats cut into matchstick-like shreds can also be found.
There are several ways to make matchstick pieces. Many people get this cut small and neat by julienning food with a sharp knife. In a julienne cut, the food is cut into extremely thin, even strips that can be cut into thinner strips for the purpose of creating matchstick pieces. An easier way of julienning vegetables involves using a mandoline slicer, a piece of kitchen equipment that slices food for you as you feed it. If you don’t feel inclined to use a knife or mandolin, some markets sell common greens that are pre-cut into matchstick pieces.
There are several reasons to use matchstick pieces in cooking. The first is that because the pieces are cut very small, they cook quickly. This can be useful when putting together a dish like a stir-fry. The uniform size of the matchstick pieces ensures that they cook evenly. They also add texture and structure to a dish; stick-cut carrots, for example, can be tossed at the last minute so they keep their crunch and create some bulk in the finished dish.
Some recipes call for everything to be cut into matchstick pieces; coleslaw, for example, is often made with evenly cut pieces of cabbage, carrot, etc. The uniform size helps promote even distribution of the sauce, which can be useful in something like coleslaw, where chunks of sauce would be quite unpleasant. Match pieces can also be used as an accent.
If you’re making matchstick pieces with a knife, rather than a mandoline, start by making lengthwise cuts an even distance apart. If you’re working with a rounded item like a carrot or onion, cut it in half so it doesn’t move around on the cutting board. As you make the longitudinal cuts, use your hand to hold the food together. Once you’ve finished a series of even cuts in one direction, creating a series of overlapping layers, cut in the other direction to cut the layers into flakes. Use several cuts along the middle of the food to turn the long flakes into matches, then use as desired.
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