Can you use a box grater to zest?

You can zest a lemon with both a handheld grater and a box grater. Pulling out the hefty box grater for a small amount of lemon zest is not very convenient. But when you don’t have a citrus zester, a microplane, or a handheld cheese grater, a handheld grater is the next best option.

What is the spiky side of a grater for?

This side is also technically for shredding. Even fewer (14%) use the side with the small prickly holes (D in the image). This side is in fact the only one specifically for “grating” (as opposed to shredding or shaving). In cheese terms this side is good for harder varieties like parmesan.

What are the small holes on a grater for?

Slicing holes. One or several, depending on the grater. These are not necessarily a replacement for a sharp knife or mandoline. But they are an option, especially for relatively small amounts of food. You can use the slots to make large curls or slices of cheese that will stand out in a salad.

Can a grater be used as a zester?

The easiest way to make ultra-fine, delicate lemon zest is with a grater or zester. We like a Microplane ($15; williams-sonoma.com) best but if you don’t have one, a sharp knife will do the trick. A Y-peeler or box grater are also great alternatives.

Can you use a zester to grate garlic?

With a Microplane—basically just a very sharp zester with tiny teeth—you can just grate garlic the same way you’d grate cheese or citrus zest. Using a Microplane will give you that fresh garlic flavor without having to 1) use a knife or 2) encounter any large, uncooked pieces of garlic in your dinner.

What is the difference between a zester and a grater?

The main difference between the two really just comes down to the size of the holes. A grater has larger holes and cuts things into ribbons or strands. A zester will have much smaller holes than a grater does. For the most part, it works and functions the same way as a grater does, but just on a smaller scale.

What are the four sides of a box grater?

How to Use All Four Sides of Your Box Grater

  • Coarse grating side. : trindade51. This is probably your old standby and certainly the most commonly used side of the box grater.
  • Fine grating side. : trindade51.
  • Cheese planer side. : Shanasana.
  • Zester side. : Dante.

What is a zester used for?

A zester is essentially a tool that allows you to remove the zest from citrus. It also comes in handy for a variety of other uses which makes it multifunctional. In my opinion, there is no better way to remove the zest from citrus fruits while leaving behind the bitter pith.

What are the 4 sides of a box grater used for?

The box grater is one of the most handy and efficient kitchen tools, and that’s because each of its four sides serves a different purpose: Two sides have holes for straightforward grating (one large and one fairly small), one side is meant for slicing (like a mandoline, but not nearly as sharp), and the last side has …

Do you need a zester?

If it tastes like it’s missing something, a few teaspoons of juice or zest from a lemon or lime can often fix it. If you don’t have a zester or microplane grater, you’re probably tempted to skip the zest most of the time. But it’s not that hard to do it without one, as long as you’ve got a knife and a peeler.