hakkeiksi

Hakkeiksi is a Finnish culinary term used to indicate that an ingredient should be cut or processed into rough, bite-sized pieces. It is commonly applied to root vegetables, meat, and fish and is chosen to influence cooking times and texture for dishes such as stews, fillings, or sautéed dishes where uniform, coarse pieces are desirable.

Etymology and register: The form hakkeiksi appears to derive from the verb hakata or hakea, with the translative suffix -ksi signaling conversion into a state or form. The exact historical development is not documented in detail, and the term is most often found in older or regional Finnish cookbooks. In modern standard Finnish, hakkeiksi is less common, with palasiksi or kuutioiksi more frequently used to describe chopping into pieces or cubes.

Usage and examples: In recipes, hakkeiksi is typically used in imperative clauses: "Pilko perunat hakkeiksi" meaning "Chop the potatoes into chunks," or "Leikkaa sipulit hakkeiksi" meaning "Cut the onions into pieces." The term conveys a rougher cut than finely minced or diced and signals that the pieces should be of similar size to ensure even cooking.

See also: Finnish culinary vocabulary; palasiksi; kuutioiksi; hienontaa.