i’ve seen chines people eating with chopsticks and they hold the plate very close to their mouths while shovelling the food in with the sticks. but how do they deal with the stews or sauces? do they put the piyala to their mouths and slurp it or do they use a spoon? and isn’t that cheating?
They don't usually hold their plates close to the mouth when eating something like rice or chow-mein. That can be eaten very easily even when the plate is on the table, just like you eat with fork and spoon.
The bowl is held near the mouth when the chinese are eating/slurping/sipping the noodle-soup with the help of chopsticks. The way it works is that the person will use the chopsticks to put noodles and meat pieces in his mouth and in rapid motion will also be drinking the soup by putting his lips on the bowl.
You have to remember that proper chinese or far-eastern people never use forks or spoon to eat or drink. So its either chopsticks or it is 'direct'.
I find it very interesting that I have walked into several chinese restaurants and theres not been a chopstick in sight. Only the traditional silverware. That I dont understand. smile
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You should see bengalis eat rice.
They usually like to smother their rice with lots and lots of liquidy daal, and the end result is just a tad bit thicker than water. But its amazing to see how they manage to scoop that up with their hands, roll it up in a ball, and eat it, despite its liquidy texture. Id probably use a straw for that, but they manage it quite well.
Xtreme, why not go to London’s China Town and try out some Chinese joint and ask some Chinese chick to explain to you. She might stick it up, I mean the chopsticks, to give you a demonstration.
Pristine, thanks for clarifying, it's not far from what i was saying; they nibble and slurp at the same time rather than as seperate actions. very good idea in fact, noisy but practical.
Akif, I know what you mean wrt the finger-eating expertise of our bengali pals. i wonder if Muzna's ever had a go at that in public? didn't she advise everybody on eating ettiquetes a while back?
NYA yaar, Chinese are very polite people i'm sure she'd be happy to explain, chopsticks or no chopsticks. there's an art to eating sushi as well btw. know anything about that?
No...I've never had a go at any Bengalis. I've really never had any Bengali friends.
The very limited times that I have been exposed to a Bengali person during a meal has been with a gentleman who could probably put me to shame when it comes to manners.
Maybe I've been lucky.
There is nothing wrong with eating with your hands!
That's what happens when a civilization becomes insular and shuns the technological advances as foreign trespasses. Given a choice 99% of people would prefer to eat noodles with a fork than with chopsticks.
It's amazing that with a civilization over 5000 yrs old, no one in the damn country could come up with the concept of a fork.
And they are going to be the number one econoy........yeah right!
Chaltahai...
Believe it or not, it is much easier to eat with chopsticks compared to fork, provided you know how to eat with chopsticks.
Pristine: I know how to use chopsticks. That's not the issue. People were happy with their hrose and buggy too until the car came along.
I don't agree to your argument that eating with forks is somehow a leap in technological advancement and hence should be adopted like cars over buggies.
I am saying eating with chopstick is better than eating with fork. Although it is not as simple to learn as eating with fork. But then again, it is how you teach. Many western kids won't have a clue on how to make "niwalay" and eat rice with their bare hands, something which comes quite naturally to almost all desi kids. Eating with chopsticks gives better grip over the food, compared to fork, and second only to eating with bare hands. :)
[This message has been edited by Pristine (edited March 13, 2002).]
Please stick to the topic and refrain from cluttering the thread with irrelevant material.
[This message has been edited by Admin (edited March 13, 2002).]
My friends tried to make me eat with chop sticks once but I firmly refused after seeing them do it.
I told them it is crazy to eat like that. Whatever energy you get out of the food, it seemed to me is already spent on using those blasted chopsticks!!
Chaltahai-hai, although eating Chinese food with a fork is admittedly much easier, you have to admit watching a genuine bona-fide Chinaman/woman eating with chopsticks provides that authentic touch that would be a big miss.
this forum isn't about technology you oaf, it's about culture. bruce lee could have killed everybody in Enter the Dragon with a sub-machine gun, but using kung fu was much more better alternative don't you think? all things considered.
X-Dolt: I concede on the old world charm of the mind your language eating with their chopped-stix. I love the food and specially the women who seats me at my favorite Szechuan haunt. Moo Goo Grrrrrrr!
That's the reason Bruce Lee never fought in the South Bronx. It's kind of sad to bring nunchucks to a gunfight.
[This message has been edited by Admin (edited March 13, 2002).]
what's wrong with bringing nunchucks to the bronx? Jacki Chan doesn't even need the nunchucks, what's the matter, don't you follow the news?
and the reason the women are smiling when they seat you at your Szhechuan restaurant - it's because they know why your crab and sweetcorn soup tastes so salty. haven't you ever wondered?
Eating with hands:
Well it reminded me of a person (name dont remember) but he did his PhD from MIT (USA). It was a wedding in Pakistan in 1989 when I first met him ... the guy was a University Professor in Zurich (Switzerland) & to most of my surpise when it came to eating the dinner ... he started eating rice with his hands. Everyone there was astonished. In the end I couldn't resist myself & went to him after the dinner & asked him why does he eat with his hands. I still remember my words, "Why do u eat with ur hands, I mean in Zurich people dont laugh at you when u eat rice with your hands in public or in official functions". He answered, "I dont care .... its sunnat, BTW no one laughs at me ... people do look at me & might think I am stupid but with time they accept me what I am".
It is the chinese tradition that matel must not touch the teeth & wood must not scratch ur teeth while eating. The tradition is over 3000 (may be 5000) years old & with time Japanese, Korean & other sorrounding countries adopted the same tridition. For noddles soup they use the chopsticks but for anyother soup they use spoons made of china-clay or marbles in functions but at home they drink straight from the bowl or cup.
Now dont laugh I even (not always, but sometimes) eat rice/noddles at home with chopsticks. Dont ask me why, but I do. I must admit I cant eat with my hands unless there is no other alternative available.
[quote]
Originally posted by Pristine:
**They don't usually hold their plates close to the mouth when eating something like rice or chow-mein. That can be eaten very easily even when the plate is on the table, just like you eat with fork and spoon.
The bowl is held near the mouth when the chinese are eating/slurping/sipping the noodle-soup with the help of chopsticks. The way it works is that the person will use the chopsticks to put noodles and meat pieces in his mouth and in rapid motion will also be drinking the soup by putting his lips on the bowl.
You have to remember that proper chinese or far-eastern people never use forks or spoon to eat or drink. So its either chopsticks or it is 'direct'. **
[/quote]
yah i agree with u pristine .. but its depend on the dishes ... They mostly hold the Bowl of rice close to their mouths ...
But not for Chow-Min ...
But i dont have this bad habbit as i usually go to for lunch with my chinese colleages ...
**
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