I learned to dice an onion from my mom when I was growing up; I'd hold the onion in my hand and vertically cut a star pattern into it, and then cut horizontally--all in my hand. A bit dangerous?... Yes, but onion juice is a great antibacterial LOL Fast forward to culinary school, and I learned how to dice an onion on a board without the danger of a knife-in-the-hand and more effectively. As always, practice makes perfect (onion soup would be great practice)!
Step 1: Gather onion, cutting board, knife, and bowl for waste.
Step 2: Determine the root end; this will usually be dark with small 'hairs' coming out of it.
Step 3: Determine the top end; this will usually have stems coming out.
Step 4: Thinly cut the dark part off--this is what will keep the onion together so don't cut it all off!
Step 5: Cut off the stem end to make it even.
Step 6: Place onion, stem down, on the cutting board.
Step 7: Cut onion in half. See the root at the top?
Step 8: Skin the onion and place the largest flat surface on the cutting board.
Step 9: For diced onions, make several horizontal cuts (depending on how small of a dice you require) or just make parallel, vertical cuts for onion slices.
Step 10: Make perpendicular, vertical cuts into the onion being careful not the cut all the way to the root (root will hold onion together as you are dicing).
Step 11: Make vertical cuts parallel to the onion to get a small dice of onions.
Step 12: Continue parallel cuts until onion is unstable; then flip onto the largest flat surface and continue dicing. The root should be the only part of the onion left.
And there you have it! Now go and practice! Take your time and be careful since you are handling a knife!
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