How to use chopsticks: step by step instructions and recommendations

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Japanese cuisine has been trending for many years. First, it's delicious. Second, it's trendy. And, thirdly, it is useful. So in any case, it is worth joining the culture of eating rolls and sushi. Only many Europeans have a problem - the inability to use chopsticks. Really, how to use chopsticks? Maybe it's easier to stick them to your fingers so that they don't slip out? Or is it worth abandoning the prescribed appliances and using a regular plug? Let's try to build a convenient algorithm for mastering science.

From history

Chopsticks are considered a traditional cutlery in East Asia, but Japanese restaurants have appeared in almost all Russian cities. All due to the growing popularity of Asian cuisine. But here's how to use chopsticks, many Russians still do not know. Someone squeezing rolls while holding chopsticksboth hands. Someone pricks food on a stick, like an ancient man on his spear. Many people refuse chopsticks altogether and eat with a fork…

Such an ambiguous cutlery appeared in ancient China. According to legend, it was invented by someone Yu, who wanted to get a piece of meat from a hot cauldron. In China, sticks have their own name - "kuaizi", and in Japan - "hashi".

National souvenir

For the Japanese, hashi is a very personal item that should not be given to other people. Therefore, restaurants do not serve metal or ceramic utensils, but use disposable ones called waribashi. Therefore, do not worry about hygiene, you can safely learn how to use chopsticks, and then dispose of them.

Chopsticks began to be used almost 3 thousand years ago in China, and they came to Japan only in the 12th century. Initially, the sticks were made of bamboo and they looked like tweezers. Later, wood, plastic and ivory began to be used for production. The Japanese do not favor metal sticks, as they can damage tooth enamel. The Chinese begin to teach children how to use chopsticks from an early age, and a two-year-old kid can safely handle such a device. Chinese sticks are about 20 cm long. They are quite thick and easy to handle. In Japan, the sticks are shorter by 5-10 cm and, in addition, they have sharp tips. There is also a Korean version of the sticks - chokkarak. They are made from stainless steel. They can only be used by experienced eaters, so Europeans will find them too thin and uncomfortable.

Chinese

So how do you use chopsticks? If a restaurant brought you plump and long sticks, then this is clearly a Chinese version. They are comfortable, but first of all you need to learn how to hold them. The stick that has a thickening at the end lies on the base of the thumb, and the lower phalanx of the middle finger serves as a stand for the thin end. Press the stick with your thumb to lock the position. This stick performs a passive function - it supports food. But the second stick moves between the thumb and forefinger when grabbing food.

But hashi needs to be held differently. Here the passive stick lies at the base of the thumb. Almost in the middle, the wand rests on the upper phalanx of the ring finger. It turns out that the thumb, index and middle fingers form a ring. It is in this ring that the active wand operates. The index finger is responsible for the movements.

The nuances of chopsticks

Knowing how to use chopsticks correctly in theory is half the battle, but not everyone can repeat the experience in practice. Eating etiquette needs to be thoroughly studied. For example, with the help of chopsticks, you can make it clear that the meal is over. To do this, just put them across the bowl with the ends to the left. You can't put food on them. Sticks clenched in fists speak of a threat, and if they are stuck in rice, you can offend the owner of the house. Such a dish is intended for the enemy. In general, it is not in vain that knowledge of how to usechopsticks. In the homes of Asia, banal ignorance can turn into serious problems. In a restaurant, the situation is somewhat simpler. But still, any cultured person wants to look decent, and therefore learns the art of wand possession.

Algorithm in the smallest aspects

In order not to fuss in front of lunch partners, it is better to practice how to properly use sushi chopsticks at home. So there will be plenty of time, and no one will interfere. It is best to practice on sushi and rolls of various shapes. Take the chopsticks in a circle from the thumb and forefinger, directing the sharp ends towards the dish. Conditionally divide them into upper - active and lower - passive. The bottom one holds the food while the top one grabs it. For convenience, you can move the upper stick with your thumb, holding it with your index and middle fingers. Grab rolls from the horizontal sides, and sushi from the vertical ones. Gently dip the rolls in the soy sauce, and when you take it out, shake it gently to remove the excess sauce. Now put food in your mouth and enjoy the taste. Here's how to properly use sushi chopsticks.

Ethically

In Eastern culture, knowing how to use Chinese chopsticks correctly receives positive feedback not only among certain nations, but also among our compatriots, as the process looks beautiful and authentic. Eating is a ritual for the Japanese.entails many conditions. In particular, chopsticks should not be licked, stuck in food, or passed a piece of food to table neighbors. If you touch a piece with chopsticks, then it must be eaten. And if you take food from a common dish, then you need to use the opposite end of the chopsticks. Do not wave chopsticks, move dishes with them, or attract the attention of the waiter. When you finish your meal, don't put your chopsticks on your plate. In some countries, such an act may indicate hostility or dissatisfaction with the meal. It is better to fold them next to the plate on a napkin. From an ethical point of view, you should not finish drinking soy sauce or finish all the wasabi that is put on the meal. These ingredients have a specific taste and should not be abused. That's the whole science of how to properly handle chopsticks. Bon appetit!