Post by stephan on Sept 15, 2009 14:25:35 GMT
Here is what wikipedia has to say
Etiquette of Indian dining
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Jump to: navigation, search
This article is part of the series
Indian cuisine
Regional cuisines
North India
Awadhi – Bihari – Bhojpuri – Kashmiri
Punjabi – Sindhi -
Rajasthani – Uttar Pradeshi
Mughlai - more..
South India
Andhra – Karnataka – Kerala – Tamil
Hyderabadi – Udupi – Mangalorean more..
East India
Bengali – Oriya
North-East India
Assamese – Naga – Sikkimese – Tripuri
West India
Goan – Gujarati – Marathi –
Malvani & Konkani – Parsi
Other
Indian Chinese - Nepali
Jain (Satvika) – Anglo-Indian
Chettinad – Fast food
Ingredients and types of food
Main dishes – Desserts – Bread
Drinks – Snacks – Spices – Condiments
Preparation and cooking
Handi – Karahi – Tava – Uruli – Other
See also:
History – Etiquette
Indian chefs – Cookbook: Cuisine of India
edit
As in many cultures, eating and drinking are important and widely respected parts of Indian culture, local customs, traditions, and religions. Proper table manners vary from culture to culture, although there are always a few basic rules that are important to follow. Etiquette should be observed when dining in any Indian household or restaurant, though the acceptable standards depend upon the situation.[1]
Contents [hide]
1 Cutlery
2 Ushte
3 Right hand
4 Beef and pork
5 Adapted cutlery use in India
6 Other rules
7 References
[edit] Cutlery
Though Indian cooking uses an extensive array of specialized utensils for various purposes, Indians traditionally do not use cutlery for eating, as many foods - such as Indian breads and curry - are best enjoyed when eating with the hand. There is a story that the Shah of Iran, on a visit to India, was so impressed by the custom that he remarked that to eat with a spoon and fork is like making love through an interpreter. Indians usually give the following explanation for the practice of eating with hands: "Food is divine and needs to be enjoyed with touch, smell and taste. There is no joy in using a knife and fork to eat it."
Eating with one's hands is a technique that can be quite clean when done correctly, but may require a degree of practice. First, the hands must be thoroughly washed, with particular attention paid to the fingernails. Having long fingernails in India is considered unhygienic (with the exception of sadhus and other ascetics).
Using the fingers, the food should be scooped onto the flatbread (naan, roti, etc.) and quickly brought to the mouth. In North India, when eating curry, the gravy must not be allowed to stain your fingers--only the fingertips are used. In South India, it is considered ill mannered to let your food stain the out side of your fingers or palm while eating and food is to be eaten only with the tip of the fingers, though popular belief is to think it is okay use more of your hand. In South India, the plate is not to be touched or held by the left hand while eating.
When flatbreads such as chapati, roti, or naan are served with the meal, it is acceptable to use pieces of them to gather food and sop up gravies and curries.
Not all Indian foods should be eaten with the hands, however. If the food is soupy, such as many daals, spoons should be used.[2] Additionally, foods such as rice are may be eaten with spoons in both North and South India, more so in case of formal occasions as in a restaurant or a buffet where food is not served on banana leaf.
Additionally, spoons (usually two used in a clasping motion) and forks are commonly used to distribute foods from a communal dish, as it is considered rude to touch the foods of others.
Etiquette of Indian dining
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is part of the series
Indian cuisine
Regional cuisines
North India
Awadhi – Bihari – Bhojpuri – Kashmiri
Punjabi – Sindhi -
Rajasthani – Uttar Pradeshi
Mughlai - more..
South India
Andhra – Karnataka – Kerala – Tamil
Hyderabadi – Udupi – Mangalorean more..
East India
Bengali – Oriya
North-East India
Assamese – Naga – Sikkimese – Tripuri
West India
Goan – Gujarati – Marathi –
Malvani & Konkani – Parsi
Other
Indian Chinese - Nepali
Jain (Satvika) – Anglo-Indian
Chettinad – Fast food
Ingredients and types of food
Main dishes – Desserts – Bread
Drinks – Snacks – Spices – Condiments
Preparation and cooking
Handi – Karahi – Tava – Uruli – Other
See also:
History – Etiquette
Indian chefs – Cookbook: Cuisine of India
edit
As in many cultures, eating and drinking are important and widely respected parts of Indian culture, local customs, traditions, and religions. Proper table manners vary from culture to culture, although there are always a few basic rules that are important to follow. Etiquette should be observed when dining in any Indian household or restaurant, though the acceptable standards depend upon the situation.[1]
Contents [hide]
1 Cutlery
2 Ushte
3 Right hand
4 Beef and pork
5 Adapted cutlery use in India
6 Other rules
7 References
[edit] Cutlery
Though Indian cooking uses an extensive array of specialized utensils for various purposes, Indians traditionally do not use cutlery for eating, as many foods - such as Indian breads and curry - are best enjoyed when eating with the hand. There is a story that the Shah of Iran, on a visit to India, was so impressed by the custom that he remarked that to eat with a spoon and fork is like making love through an interpreter. Indians usually give the following explanation for the practice of eating with hands: "Food is divine and needs to be enjoyed with touch, smell and taste. There is no joy in using a knife and fork to eat it."
Eating with one's hands is a technique that can be quite clean when done correctly, but may require a degree of practice. First, the hands must be thoroughly washed, with particular attention paid to the fingernails. Having long fingernails in India is considered unhygienic (with the exception of sadhus and other ascetics).
Using the fingers, the food should be scooped onto the flatbread (naan, roti, etc.) and quickly brought to the mouth. In North India, when eating curry, the gravy must not be allowed to stain your fingers--only the fingertips are used. In South India, it is considered ill mannered to let your food stain the out side of your fingers or palm while eating and food is to be eaten only with the tip of the fingers, though popular belief is to think it is okay use more of your hand. In South India, the plate is not to be touched or held by the left hand while eating.
When flatbreads such as chapati, roti, or naan are served with the meal, it is acceptable to use pieces of them to gather food and sop up gravies and curries.
Not all Indian foods should be eaten with the hands, however. If the food is soupy, such as many daals, spoons should be used.[2] Additionally, foods such as rice are may be eaten with spoons in both North and South India, more so in case of formal occasions as in a restaurant or a buffet where food is not served on banana leaf.
Additionally, spoons (usually two used in a clasping motion) and forks are commonly used to distribute foods from a communal dish, as it is considered rude to touch the foods of others.
