Pots & Pans With Hajiya Ramatu Usman Dorayi
In case you find yourself in Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam, don't panic when you are served food with chop sticks. Learn now, how to use the 'quick little fellows' even when dining with friends and family.
Chopsticks are eating utensils consisting of a set of two tapered sticks, often made of wood, metal or plastic. The Japanese word for chopstick is hashi. Hashi also means bridge, and illustrates how the chopstick bridges the gap between the food and the mouth. Kuaizi is the Chinese word for chopsticks (it means quick little fellows).
-How to hold chopsticks properly
It's helpful to know how to use chopsticks properly when you eat Japanese food. It's considered impolite to hold chopsticks with five fingers in Japan. Take a look at the photo for your reference. It might take some time to practice, but it's worth learning how to hold chopsticks properly.
Using your fingers
1. Hold the upper chopstick with the index finger, the middle finger, and the thumb.
2. Put the other chopstick between the bottom of the thumb and the tip of the ring finger.
3. Move the upper chopstick only when you pick up food.
Bad chopsticks manners in Japan:
-Waving chopsticks above food dishes.
-Sticking chopsticks into food instead of picking them up with chopsticks.
-Picking a cup or bowl up with the hand that is holding chopsticks.
-Sucking chopsticks.
-Sticking chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice.
-Passing food directly from one's chopsticks to another's chopsticks.
-Four main styles of chopsticks
-Chinese have the longer, wood sets that come to a rounded thicker end.
-Japanese use short, wooden chopsticks that come to a sharper pointy end.
-Koreans use shorter, metallic, wood or plastic chopsticks that are often blunt at the end.
-Vietnamese have lengthier chopsticks that also come to a thicker end as in China.
Chopsticks for every occasion
There are many styles and types of chopsticks for different occasions and uses. One type is for eating normal meals. Chopsticks for the kitchen are longer and often plain or "leftover" chopsticks, made of wood. Each family member has their own chopstick, with a different design or mark, starting at about 2-3 years of age.
Practical steps on using chop sticks
Pick up the first chopstick with the middle finger and thumb. Stiffen your hand for a firm grip. Have the broad end of the chopstick lay on the part where your thumb and index finger connect. Rest the narrow end on the tip of your ring finger, and hold it in place with the tip of your middle finger. (Hint: try holding it the way you hold a pen to write. It might rest on your ring finger or your middle finger, held in place by your index finger. Place the chopstick then lift your index finger so it can hold the second chopstick.)
Grip the second chopstick with your index finger. Place your thumb over the second chopstick. Adjust your grip to a more comfortable position. Make sure the narrow tips of the chopsticks are even with each other to help prevent them from crossing or being unable to "pinch" the food.
Hold it steady. This chopstick should not move when you attempt to pick up food. Alternatively, hold the first chopstick steady and move the second (top) chopstick by moving the tip of your index finger up and down while the thumb remains relatively steady, acting like a pivot point. The top chopstick remains pressed to the index finger from the tip through the first joint. The movement comes from flexing the joint closest to the knuckle. Straightening your index finger opens the chopsticks and bending it closes them, with perhaps a slight flexing of the thumb to keep the chopsticks lined up with each other. (Note: this alternative is different from the photos in how the top chopstick is held. The movement comes from the top chopstick, not the bottom one, so the top chopstick is held so that it can be moved easily. Use the method that is comfortable for you.)
Practice opening and closing the chopsticks. Make sure the broad ends of the chopsticks do not make an "X" as this will make it difficult to pick up food.
Pick up food at a good angle (try roughly 45 degrees from the plate); slightly lift it up. If it feels unstable, put it down and try again.
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