SHOPPING LIST: Cooking Skills: Knife Skills 1, Chapter 1 (Knives, Grip and Safety)

Vegetables are cheap and the practice uses plenty. Buy a few extra cucumbers, carrots and a cabbage, as you will cut them more than once. A damp cloth, a stable board and a chef's knife are the only equipment.

Cucumber and carrot sticks with yoghurt dip (2 portions)
[ ] 1 cucumber (about 300 g)
[ ] 2 medium carrots, peeled
[ ] 150 g plain yoghurt
[ ] 1 tbsp chopped mint or chives (optional)
[ ] ½ lemon, juice only
[ ] 1 pinch salt and pepper

Cucumber, radish and spring onion salad (1 portion)
[ ] ½ cucumber
[ ] 4 radishes
[ ] 2 spring onions
[ ] 1 handful salad leaves
[ ] 1 tbsp olive oil
[ ] 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
[ ] 1 pinch salt and pepper

Tomato and cucumber salsa (2 portions)
[ ] 2 ripe tomatoes (about 250 g)
[ ] ½ cucumber
[ ] ½ small red onion
[ ] 1 tbsp chopped coriander or parsley
[ ] 1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
[ ] 1 pinch salt

Coleslaw (2 to 3 portions)
[ ] 150 g white or red cabbage, cored
[ ] 1 medium carrot, peeled
[ ] ½ small red onion or 2 spring onions
[ ] 3 tbsp plain yoghurt
[ ] 1 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
[ ] 1 tsp lemon juice or cider vinegar
[ ] 1 pinch salt and pepper

For the experiments
[ ] 1 more cucumber, 2 more tomatoes
[ ] A butter knife and a damp cloth