Brilio.net - Onions are one of the basic ingredients that are often used in various types of cuisine around the world. Its presence in cooking provides a distinctive aroma and taste, making the dish more delicious and appetizing. However, the process of preparing onions, especially when they have to be sliced, often causes unpleasant problems, namely sore and watery eyes.
The burning sensation in the eyes when cutting onions is caused by a chemical compound called syn-Propanethial-S-oxide which is released when the onion cells are crushed. This gas reacts with the water in the eyes, forming sulfuric acid which is irritating and causes the eyes to water as a natural form of protection. This phenomenon makes many people feel uncomfortable and try to find ways to avoid the burning effect.
Luckily, there are various tricks that can be done to reduce the stinging sensation when slicing onions. Starting from cooling the onions before slicing, using a very sharp knife, to wearing protective glasses. In addition, some also place a bowl of water or wet tissue around the onions when they are about to be sliced.
But instead of using that method, there is a woman who once shared a unique way of slicing onions. This method tends to be unusual, but is quite effective in preventing sore eyes when slicing onions. Reported by BrilioFood from Facebook Kathleen Burton on Thursday (5/12), the tool in question is a match.
photo: Facebook/Kathleen Burton
Yup! This woman, Kathleen Burton, used a match when she wanted to slice an onion. More precisely, he used a wooden lighter to prevent his eyes from stinging. So, this match will be lit first. Then after the fire was lit, he immediately blew it until it died.
photo: Facebook/Kathleen Burton
The dead end of the match will emit smoke from the burning residue. Kathleen then put the other end of the match to her mouth.
So while holding the lighter in his mouth, he immediately sliced the onion that had been peeled earlier. Who would have thought, the slicing process became smoother and no tears came out at all.
photo: Facebook/Kathleen Burton
Indeed, putting a burning match in your mouth is one of many tricks that is believed to prevent sore eyes when cutting onions. The theory is that the burning match will absorb or divert some of the eye-irritating compounds. Therefore, the eyes will not sting and water.
Having been viewed more than 10 million times, this video about a unique way to slice onions has immediately caught the attention of netizens. Many other Facebook users then gave their responses directly in the comments column. Most even shared other methods of slicing onions safely.
" I work in a restaurant and do prep every morning, the only thing that works is to wet a paper towel and put it right next to the onions while chopping. Works great, also put it in the freezer if you don't want your eyes burning, that helps ," Facebook post Aniah Stodtmeister said.
" Just don't cut off the nipple of the onion. If you cut the onion in half with the nipple still in place, you're safe because as long as it's still attached, it won't release the burning sensation of the onion. My chef taught me this a few years ago and I've been using this method ever since! " wrote Facebook's Kaylee Shirley.
" I wear contacts and that's what ultimately protects my eyes. I'm the only one whose eyes don't hurt or cry when I cut onions. So for me it's just my contacts that help ," wrote Courtney Scott on Facebook.