【Reading】かのこぎり

【English Name】Kanoko-giri (cross-hatch scoring)

The kanoko-giri (fawn-spot cut) is a Japanese knife technique of making fine lattice-shaped scores on the surface of ingredients such as squid and octopus. After making diagonal, parallel cuts, one changes the angle and makes cuts in another direction as well, causing a diamond or lattice pattern to emerge.

The name of this technique derives from the mottled pattern seen on the back of a fawn. When the scored ingredient is heated, the surface curls back, and a three-dimensional pattern appears.

In the world of sushi and sashimi, it is mainly used for squid toppings. By applying the kanoko-giri, the tough fibers are severed and the texture becomes softer, and there is also the practical effect of allowing soy sauce, nitsume, and the like to cling more readily to the scores. Moreover, because it produces a beautiful appearance, it is also valued as a plating technique.

It is also an effective technique for thick, somewhat firm ingredients such as abalone and cuttlefish, and is considered one of the basic decorative cuts that test an artisan's knife skills.