Fruits and Vegetables Carving

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The History of Fruit and Vegetable Carving

The story of fruit and vegetable carving begins about 700 years ago in Sukothai, the capital of the Tai people, in what is now the north of central Thailand. Sukothai was the capital of the region from 1240 – 1350. In preparation for one of their major festivals, Loi Kratong, one of the King’s servants, called Nang Noppamart, tried to think how she could make her Kratong more beautiful, in order to please the king. She took a flower and used it as a pattern to carve from. She then carved a bird and set it with its head pointing towards the flower. Loi Kratong is still celebrated today and Sukothai is one of the best places in Thailand to experience Fruit and vegetable carving is also mentioned in the poetry of King Rama 2 who reigned from 1808-1824. He wrote about the beauty of Thai desserts and fruit and vegetable carving.
After the revolution in 1932 fruit and vegetable carving became less popular. Those worried about the art disappearing set up a course to train people to teach the art to everyone in Thailand. Today it is taught from the age of 11 in primary schools through secondary school and on to university where it is an optional subject. The art is now being passed to foreign people and is being practised around the world. It is particularly popular with chefs who use it to improve the presentation of their food.
Everyone can now enjoy this amazing art in hotels, cruise liners, in every Thai restaurant around the world and on the internet. Everyday more and more people are discovering with disbelief and amazement the beauty of this Thai art thanks to the imagination of Nang Noppamart all those years ago.

Fruits and vegetables used in carving

Fruits:

Apples, pineapples, papayas, cantaloupes, guavas, watermelons, jicamas (or yam bean tubers), mangoes, rose apples, sapodillas and jujubes.

Vegetables:

Carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes, cucumbers, Chinese radishes, eggplants, spring onions, chilies, radishes and more.

Introduction Thai Carving

The purpose of fruit and vegetable carving is to make food more attractive, more appetizing, and also easier to eat. The accomplished homemaker welcomes her guests with fruit carefully pared, seeded, and perhaps cut into bite-size slices depending on the type. Vegetables are first delicately carved, then cooked, and finally arranged attractively to decorate the dish which they are part of. Needless to say, guests are greatly pleased to be honored with such a gracious welcome, displaying as it does the good feelings and willing hospitality of the maker.
Decorating fresh, well-formed, and colorful fruits and vegetables through artistic carving is by no means difficult; all it takes is concentration. Starting out, there is no need for special carving knives; one sharp-pointed knife is enough to carve fruits and vegetables beautifully. The knife, however, must be sharp at all times, and so you should always have a small whetstone nearby.

Before Carving

1. Before carving, fruits and vegetables must be washed and cleaned thoroughly.

2. Use knives with stainless steel or bronze blades. Knives with ordinary steel blades will cause discoloration of fruits and vegetables.

3. Do not carve excessively so as to avoid waste and loss of nutritional value.

4. The designs carved should be appropriate for decorating a plate of food; thus, floral patterns are suitable, while figures of animals such as rats are not.

5. Vegetables to be dipped into sauces should be cut to appropriate sizes.

6. Vegetables chosen for carving should be appropriate to the dish in which they are to be used, and they should be vegetables which are resistant to wilting, such as carrots and Chinese radishes.

7. Care must be exercised during carving so as to avoid bruising fruit and vegetables.

Watermelon Basket Carving perfect for a summer picnic, this Watermelon Fruit Basket is carved from a watermelon into the shape of a dolphin. Kids will love to help draw the pattern on the watermelon rind and make the melon balls with the help of a melon scoop. Refrigerate until serving time, when you can sit back and enjoy the compliments.

Watermelon Carving

Materials:

One small watermelon
Sharp-pointed knife
Carving Knife
Melon Scoop

Preparation:

Choose an elongated watermelon.
Lightly draw a dolphin on the rind of the watermelon as in the picture with a sharp point.
Cut along the lines carefully with the knife and then gently cut away the rind.
With a melon scoop, make the flesh into watermelon balls and set aside in a dish. Remove any remaining flesh so the interior is clean and white.
Cut triangles through the rind to represent the eyes, and in the edges, cut notches for the eyelashes.
Cut a crescent for the mouth, and then notch the upper border of the rind all around except at the tail.
Arrange the watermelon and cantalope balls attractively in the dolphin-shaped bowl.

Apple Carving

Materials:

2 red or green apples
Sharp pointed knife
Carving knife

Preparation:

Wash the apples.
Cut a wedged-shape slice as in the picture.
Trim away any of the core, leaving the flesh and skin.
With the carving knife, cut the slice to the shape of a leaf.
With the tip of the knife, make curving grooves in the skin to represent the veins of the leaf. Work from the base of the leaf to the tip.
Cut notches along the edges of the leaf.

Simple White Lotus Cucumber Garnish

Materials:

1 long cucumber
1 carrot
Sharp pointed knife
Carving knife

Preparation:

Wash the cucumbers. Cut into 3 sections.
Divide the circumference of each into 8 equal parts and then make cuts about 3mm deep between each part down the length of the section.
Slice beneath each part down the length almost to the base to separate it from the flesh, thus forming the 8 outer petals.
Trim the flesh to remove ridges and then divide into 8 parts as before to make the inner ring of petals. These should be centered between those of the outer ring.
Remove the core of the cucumber, trim each petal so it tapers to a point, and then insert the center of the flower.
For the center, use 1/4 thick disk cut from a small carrot. Cut small grooves in a crisscross pattern on one face, and place up in the lotus flower.