What are the small holes on a grater for? People are just realising the true purpose

Australia
By William

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Home cooks are just discovering what to use the ‘dangerous’ star-shaped fourth side of a grater for – so are you using it correctly?

  • The fourth side of a kitchen grater with the ‘spiky’ holes is often the least used
  • Now thousands online are just discovering its true purpose
  • A conversation started when a Reddit user asked for an explanation
  • Lots of online jokes that it’s to “mess up sponges” or “cut your knuckles open”
  • But home cooks said it’s for grating hard cheese, lemon zest, garlic and ginger

By Carina Stathis for Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

The 'spiky' star-shaped side of kitchen graters is often the least used. But now thousands are just discovering its purpose

The ‘spiky’ star-shaped side of kitchen graters is often the least used. But now thousands are just discovering its purpose

Thousands of home cooks have only just discovered the “true purpose” of the most misunderstood side of a grater.

While the handy kitchen gadget is most often used to grate cheese and vegetables, the star-shaped side is almost never used.

The side, also known as the ‘skin side’, is used for making lemon and lime zest and for grating hard cheese, herbs and garlic.

A conversation sprang up online when a Reddit user asked what the “spiky” side is used for.

‘Does anyone ever use this part of the grater? What is it for anyway?’ the Redditor wrote and posted an image to show the rough, grating holes.

Many joked that it’s to “ruin sponges” or “cut your knuckles open,” but several home cooks explained the benefits.

“Zest hard cheese or garlic nutmeg maybe ginger to make as a paste,” one person wrote.

‘Potato pancakes taste great with this side!’ added another.

A third said, “Parmesan and lemon/orange/lime zest are best shredded on both sides.”

Garlic and ginger according to Jamie [Oliver] the other night,” wrote a fourth.

How do you use each side of a box grater?

Grating side: Use this side to grate thick ribbons onto cheese, tomatoes and even frozen butter

shredding side: This side has holes that are slightly smaller than the first. Scrape a block of cheese or a cucumber along this side for smaller, finer shards.

cutting edge: This side has one to three sharp cutting blades that can produce slices of cheese, vegetables or firm fruit

Hexagon: The star-shaped tips are for shaving the skin of citrus fruits. It can also be used to grate spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon sticks and Parmesan cheese into fine pebbles.

Source: TheKitchn

And the tips are supported by professionals.

According to MarthaStewart.comthe ‘smaller grating holes are designed to grate cheese, chocolate, vegetables and more’.

“It should yield a consistency so fine that the cheese dissolves easily in salad dressings, sauces and stews.”

It can also be added to risotto, pasta dishes, fresh salads and soups.

The ‘cheese dust’ looks like pre-grated hard cheese sold in tubs in supermarkets.

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