The Unexpected Tip That Makes Chopping Celery Even Easier
When you hear the word "superfood," the first thing that comes to mind probably isn't celery. After all, registered dietician Megan Ware explains that, even though celery is green and sturdy, the vegetable is made up of 95% water (per Livescience). There isn't all that much to it. But, if you've never considered celery as a health-packed powerhouse, maybe think again. According to the University of Michigan, just one cup of chopped celery contains 30mcg of vitamin K. Despite being composed of water and nutrients, celery still has a recognizable grassy, slightly sweet taste and adds a textural dimension to a dish without imposing a strong flavor. Or, diehard celery fans can even feature the veggie as the star ingredient with a simple celery soup.
With all these perks, there's still one downside to this veggie: it can be a pain to mince. Most dishes that use celery require a small dice, which can be annoyingly tedious and time-consuming. Luckily, TikTok user @madewithlau shares an unexpected tip that makes chopping celery even easier. Here's how to do it.
Grab that trusty kitchen tool: a piece of scrap wood
Celery often finds its way into the home cook's arsenal as part of a mirepoix — a lightly sauteed combination of finely diced celery, carrots, and onions, via MasterClass. In a mirepoix, the vegetables are cooked in butter or oil without browning them, which softens them and releases their aromatic qualities. For this reason, a mirepoix is a base for countless dishes, including soups, stews, sauces, and casseroles, says The Pioneer Woman. Here's how to save time while you mince.
To speed up the chopping process, @madewithlau suggests via TikTok to place washed celery stalks in a clean bag, such as a thin white produce bag you might get from the grocery store. Then, using a small, handheld plank of wood (roughly one inch thick), firmly and repeatedly hit the celery along the length of the stalk. By doing this, the TikTok user explains, the celery's fibers are broken up, compromising the vegetable's structural integrity and making for easier mincing. From there, go ahead and dice your celery, as usual, using a large kitchen knife. For best results, it's advisable to use firm, crisp stalks rather than ones that have started to soften so that the fibers can break apart with a definitive snap.