Pieces of one size finish at one time. Mixed sizes always give you raw and mushy together.
Heat travels from the outside in. A piece twice as thick needs about four times the time. So a small difference in size makes a large difference in doneness.
Japanese knife training starts with cutting a daikon into even sheets. Students do it for weeks. The point is not speed. It is sameness.
Heat enters from every side at once. Length barely changes the time. Thickness changes it a lot. Match thickness first.
Line the cut pieces along the edge of the board. Look from the side. Any piece taller than its neighbours gets cut again.
I still line up my cuts and look from the side. It takes five seconds and saves the dish.
| ❌ Symptom | 🔍 Cause | 💡 Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Some pieces are raw at serving time | Those pieces were thicker | Cut to one thickness before cooking |
| The dish looks messy in the bowl | Sizes and shapes are mixed | Pick one shape for each ingredient |
| Cooking takes longer than the recipe says | The cuts were thicker than written | Measure the first piece against the recipe |
