Dice
Dicing is cutting food into small, uniform cubes, typically between one-eighth and one-quarter inch on each side. It is a more precise and finer cut than cubing, prized for producing neat, even pieces that cook quickly and evenly and distribute nicely throughout a dish. A fine dice is small and delicate, while a medium dice is a bit larger, but all diced pieces share that tidy, square shape.
Dicing is standard for onions, carrots, and celery in the aromatic base of soups and sauces, and for tomatoes in salsa or garnishes where an even scatter looks best. To dice an onion efficiently, halve it, make horizontal and vertical cuts toward the root without cutting through it, then slice across to release small even cubes. Uniform dicing is not just about appearance, it ensures every piece finishes cooking at the same moment so nothing is raw while the rest turns to mush.
Dicing is standard for onions, carrots, and celery in the aromatic base of soups and sauces, and for tomatoes in salsa or garnishes where an even scatter looks best. To dice an onion efficiently, halve it, make horizontal and vertical cuts toward the root without cutting through it, then slice across to release small even cubes. Uniform dicing is not just about appearance, it ensures every piece finishes cooking at the same moment so nothing is raw while the rest turns to mush.