I can't say anything for how people cut food in Indonesia, but I do know that my mother always cuts smaller vegetables with the edge held up and the thumb pushing the veggies onto the edge. I personally think it's a crazy way to work, but unlike me, she's never cut herself using a knife that way. Effectively, it turns her hand into an anvil-style clipper.
If you don't have a clean surface or a cutting board, processing food in hand makes a lot of sense. If someone wants to experiment with cutting veggies with a sirau, I'd suggest cutting celery or something similar, because it doesn't tend to break suddenly, like a carrot, so the edge won't suddenly jerk towards your thumb.
Best,
F
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