Raastinteriä

Raastinteriä is a Finnish term that translates to "grater" in English. It refers to a kitchen utensil used for shredding or grating food. Graters typically feature a perforated surface with sharp-edged holes or teeth, which are designed to scrape away small pieces of food as it is rubbed against them.

There are various types of raastinteriä, differing in their design and the size and shape of the gratings they produce. Common forms include flat graters, box graters (which have four sides with different grating surfaces), and rotary graters (which use a crank mechanism to rotate a drum with grating teeth). The choice of grater often depends on the type of food being prepared and the desired texture. For instance, a fine grating surface is suitable for hard cheeses or citrus zest, while a coarser surface works well for vegetables like carrots or potatoes.

Raastinteriä are commonly used in preparing a wide range of dishes, from grating cheese for pizza and pasta to shredding vegetables for salads, coleslaws, and gratins. They are also used for zesting citrus fruits and grating chocolate. Maintaining a raastinteriä involves regular cleaning to prevent food buildup and rust, and care should be taken to avoid injury from the sharp edges.