Chopsticks aren't only for eating. The Japanese use cooking chopsticks known as saibashi to delicately handle their food as it cooks. Saibashi are like the lightsabers of asian cooking; not as clumsy or random as tongs. Truly, they are an elegant tool for a more civilized age.
Where as normal chopsticks (hashi) are made from a variety of materials and generally don't exceed 20 cm, saibashi are usually made from bamboo or wood and can be up to twice as long. The added length allows and the naturally heat resistant bamboo/wood allow you to keep your hand up and away from the heat as you cook. Tempura chefs often use saibashi in lieu of tongs to gingerly pluck their delicately fried food stuffs out of the pots of boiling hot oil.
Saibashi are great for use with coated non-stick frying pans because they will not scratch the surface as easily as a metal implement would, even during vigorous stir-frying. They are also great for naturalists because of their all natural construction materials; you don't have to worry about BPAs finding their way into your meal with a pair of bamboo Saibashi.
The beauty of the saibashi lies in their simplicity. There are countless ways to use a pair of tapered wooden sticks, limited only by your imagination. Use one to unclog a bottle of ketchup. Keep a pair by your grill instead of tongs. Assemble a make shift drum kit out of pots and pans, using your saibashi as drumsticks. Sometimes I use mine as a back scratcher.
Saibashi can be had at any kitchenware store with an Asian section. Failing that, Amazon.com has a decent selection as well. Needless to say, you shouldn't pay more than $5 for a pair of saibashi, and even that's a tad expensive. I picked up 3 pairs from my local supermarket for less than 300 yen.
Where as normal chopsticks (hashi) are made from a variety of materials and generally don't exceed 20 cm, saibashi are usually made from bamboo or wood and can be up to twice as long. The added length allows and the naturally heat resistant bamboo/wood allow you to keep your hand up and away from the heat as you cook. Tempura chefs often use saibashi in lieu of tongs to gingerly pluck their delicately fried food stuffs out of the pots of boiling hot oil.
Saibashi are great for use with coated non-stick frying pans because they will not scratch the surface as easily as a metal implement would, even during vigorous stir-frying. They are also great for naturalists because of their all natural construction materials; you don't have to worry about BPAs finding their way into your meal with a pair of bamboo Saibashi.
The beauty of the saibashi lies in their simplicity. There are countless ways to use a pair of tapered wooden sticks, limited only by your imagination. Use one to unclog a bottle of ketchup. Keep a pair by your grill instead of tongs. Assemble a make shift drum kit out of pots and pans, using your saibashi as drumsticks. Sometimes I use mine as a back scratcher.
Saibashi can be had at any kitchenware store with an Asian section. Failing that, Amazon.com has a decent selection as well. Needless to say, you shouldn't pay more than $5 for a pair of saibashi, and even that's a tad expensive. I picked up 3 pairs from my local supermarket for less than 300 yen.
About the Author:
There is a reason why Tokyo has more Michelin stars than Paris. Kitchens in Japan are a fascinating product of centuries of culinary heritage. If you want to learn more about Japanese Kitchens, recipes, and techniques, check out my blog at fareastcoastkitchen.com.
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