How to eat in traditional Indian style, with your fingers while sitting on the floor, and get the most enjoyment from your meal.
In India, eating is all about maximizing the flavour and texture of the food. At meal times, a variety of dishes are served with each item eaten a little at a time in different combinations.
The use of fingers, as opposed to cutlery, helps with blending the food together so that its taste is enhanced. When you first try eating with your fingers, you’re sure to find that it feels very unnatural. However, let go of your inhibitions and persist because it really does add to the whole eating experience.
What an Indian Meal Consists Of
Before you start eating, it helps to have an understanding of the different foods that an Indian meal consists of, and the order in which they’re eaten. In a traditional Indian meal you’ll usually find:
- Indian bread (chappathi, roti, or naan)
- Side dishes (salad, papad, and pickles)
- Main dishes of vegetables and/or meat
- Dal (a waterly lentil dish)
- Rice
The bread is eaten first with some of the vegetable or meat dishes. The remaining vegetables or meat are then eaten along with the rice and dal. The purpose of the side dishes is to add different flavors and texture to the food, so you should have a small portion of any one of these after each bite of the main dishes. The most important thing is to sample each different dish separately, to allow its individual characteristics to be appreciated. For example, the papad should be eaten by itself and not dipped in anything, so as to experience its crispy texture.
For the sake of hygene, eating is done with the right hand as the left hand is reserved for functions associated going to the toilet. You should never pass or receive anything with your left hand.
Eating Technique
To start eating, once the food has all been served, place a small portion of each main dish on your plate. Then, tear off a smallish piece of bread (around 1 x 1.5 inches in size) and place it over one of the vegetables or meat. If any of the food pieces are too large to be picked up and eaten, press down on the bread with your fingers to flatten or break them up. Next, pick the food up with the bread by folding it over the top of the food, and eat it. Repeat this process with the different dishes that are available, having a little at a time, until the bread is finished.
Now, take some rice and put it on your plate. Rice is traditionally eaten with dhal, so you should pour a little of it over some of the rice. Also add some more of the main dishes to your plate.
It’s one thing to eat curry and Indian bread with your fingers, but eating rice requires a whole new level of skill. All five fingers are used to thoroughly combine and mash the food together, and its during this process that you really need to get to work and get dirty. It’s very important to achieve the right consistency with the rice and dal. Too little dal and the rice will be sticky and tasteless, while too much dal will result in it being too runny to hold together properly.
Once you’re satisfied that this has been achieved, with your fingers, work the combined rice and dal or main dish into a ball. Then using the four fingers as a kind of spoon, gather the balled up food onto them with the thumb. Place the thumb behind the food and, bringing your hand up to your face, use it to guide the food into your mouth. Repeat this process as necessary by mixing a little rice, dal, and main dish together. Of course, alternate your eating with a portion of one of the side dishes.
What Not To Do
Fortunately in India, there’s not a lot that’s viewed as bad manners when eating. Even burping is seen as a sign of contentment. However, make sure that you wash your hands before you start eating, steer clear of touching the food with your left hand, and also try to avoid licking your fingers. After eating, if you’re a guest in someone’s home, wait until everyone has finished then get up to wash your hands again to clean them.
With a little bit of practice, you’ll be enjoying eating Indian style in no time. You may even find that you prefer it!
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
