Kitchen Gadgets: Benriner Turning Slicer

Carrots and Chinese white radishes

These are what you are left with when you use the Benriner turning slicer. I mentioned this kitchen gadget--particularly popular in Japanese kitchens--when I spotted it at The Essential Ingredient in Sydney recently. But the point of this grater is not to make wacky looking nails made of carrot. It's the slicer's ability to create continuous strands of grated vegetables at speed that makes it so fantastic.

Do you need pictures? Ok. Let's go.


Buy your turning slicer online, from your local specialty kitchen supplier, or, even better, head to Doguya Street in Sen-nichimae, the kitchen alley heaven in Osaka, where smiling polite Japanese shopkeepers who speak no English will somehow understand your broken requests for a "carrot grater" in dictionary Japanese.


Unpack your turning slicer and select and install one of the three blades provided within.


Insert your vegetable of choice between the blade and the spiked base of the handle. In this demonstration we have chosen a Chinese white radish, also known as daikon. But you may also use carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, cabbages, onions and more.


Turn the handle of the slicer with one hand, whilst using the other to brace the sliding tray on the bottom. Push the tray slowly forward using your thumb, advancing the entire radish through the blades as you continue turning the handle.



Fine, continuous, unbruised shreds will appear on the other side. A whole Chinese white radish should take no more than about twenty seconds for each half.

Remove the radish leftovers which will now resemble a giant nail. Giggle at its bizarre appearance and contemplate a series of radish vs carrot swordfights.

Look at the mountain of raw fish beside you and return your focus to your homemade sushi spectacular instead.

Use your grated daikon and carrot as palate cleansing garnishes for sashimi. Dream about the limitless potential for coleslaws, vegetable salads, rosti, sauerkraut, green papaya salads and more...

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