Pilkkoa

Pilkkoa is a Finnish verb meaning to cut food into small pieces, typically using a knife. The action can refer to chopping into rough chunks, dicing into cubes, or shredding into thin strips, depending on the recipe and the desired texture.

In cooking, pilkkoa is a common instruction when preparing vegetables, meat, or fish. Examples include pilko sipuli pieniksi paloiksi, pilko tomaatti kuutioiksi, or pilko porkkana suikaleiksi. The term covers a range of cutting sizes and shapes, from coarse chunks to finer pieces.

Related kitchen terms in Finnish distinguish specific cuts. Silputa or silppu refer to shredding or finely chopping into very small strands or pieces. Kuutioida means to dice into cubes. Viipaloida means to slice into flat pieces. These terms are often used together in recipe instructions to specify the desired finish of each ingredient.

Etymology and usage notes: pilkkoa is the infinitive form of the verb; common conjugations include pilkon (I cut), pilkot (you cut), pilkkoo (he/she cuts), and pilkottu (cut, past participle). The term is widely used in everyday Finnish cooking language and in written recipes.

See also: Finnish cooking terminology, culinary knife skills, knife work in home cooking.