How to chop onions without tears: the easiest life hack

Chopping an onion without crying is often not the easiest task for many cooks. This skill is one of the most important in the kitchen, as onions are actively used in the preparation of many dishes.

Gazeta.ua offers a proven method that will help you hold back tears and make the process of cutting onions more comfortable. You won't even feel a burning sensation in your eyes.

Read also: What experienced chefs add when frying onions to saturate them with flavor

The secret is cold. Any exposure to low temperature deprives the onion of its "extraordinary reaction". Here are some ways you can use it:

1. After peeling the onions, place them in the refrigerator for about a quarter of an hour before slicing. This approach will help reduce the onion's reaction to the knife.
2. To improve the effect, you can immerse the onions in ice water for 10-15 minutes after peeling them. When slicing onions, keep the knife moistened with water.
3. If you can't use cold water, you can add a couple of ice cubes to room temperature water before slicing the onion.

Remember that onions cause tears due to the presence of lacrimator, a substance that irritates the mucous membrane. During cutting, when the knife meets the onion, the eyes secrete tears to protect themselves from the vapors of this substance and dissolve them to avoid irritation.

In addition to using cold, you can also try using boiling water steam. The steam helps disperse the lachrymators. Another way is to chop the onion into large pieces, dip them in boiling water for a few minutes, and then continue chopping. And even taking a little water in your mouth and holding it there while you chop the onion can help prevent tears. This way, you can enjoy cooking without the unpleasant effect on your eyes.

As a reminder, we've already written about what foods are best not to eat at night.

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