On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 16:28:13 GMT, Musashi > wrote:
>
> Traditionally all of the tsuma would be done by hand, usually with the Yasai bouchou
> (simply a vegetable knife). However, there is a device called Benrina (benriner?) in Japan
> that is the same as a european device (mandoline?) where you just change the blades
> and slide the vegetable over the flat surface and "it slices, it dices".
> I have seen them here in William Sonomas. I wuld presume restaurants today would use
> that or a similar device.

We have one of those. It's not one of the ultra expensive
kinds, but it is a Benriner we found at a local Asian market for $15.
So far, it does a nice job of achieving a fine shred or julienned for
something like carrots. The finest disc of our meat grinder
(electric, Krups brand) also does a surprisingly nice job on carrots,
too. My knife skills are not really up to doing such things by hand.

Ariane