【Reading】かくしぼうちょう/しのびぼうちょう

【English Name】(light) Scoring (in cooking)

In Japanese cuisine, the hidden cut (kakushi-bocho) is a preparatory technique in which shallow knife scores are made on the unseen side of an ingredient before simmering or cooking. It is also known as shinobi-bocho ("concealed cut").

A typical example is simmered daikon radish. By making shallow cross-shaped scores on the underside of a round-cut piece of daikon, the simmering liquid penetrates all the way to the center, allowing the radish to keep its shape without the surface being overcooked.

As the name "hidden" suggests, the principle is to confine the knife scores only to surfaces that are not visible when plated. By contrast, the "decorative cut" (kazari-bocho) involves carving diagonal or lattice-patterned scores onto the visible surfaces of fish or shiitake mushrooms to enhance appearance. The two techniques have essentially opposite intentions.

At sushi restaurants as well, this technique is indispensable when preparing simmered dishes or cooking root vegetables served as garnishes. It is an unsung but essential knife task that ensures the even penetration of seasoning while preserving the beauty of the presentation.