Japanese cuisine has been trending for many years. First off, it's delicious. Secondly, it is fashionable. Well, and thirdly, it is useful. So in any case, you should join the culture of eating rolls and sushi. Only many Europeans have a problem - the inability to use chopsticks. Indeed, 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 laid instruments and using an ordinary plug? Let's try to build a convenient algorithm for mastering science.
From the history
Chopsticks are considered a traditional cutlery in East Asia, but Japanese restaurants have appeared in almost all cities of Russia. This is due to the growing popularity of Asian cuisine. But here's how to use the chopsticks, many Russians still do not know. Someone squeezes the rolls, holding the sticks with both hands. Someone pricks food on a stick, like an ancient man on his spear. Many even refuse sticks and eat with a fork ...
Such an ambiguous cutlery appeared in ancient China. According to legend, it was invented by a certain Yu who wanted to get a piece of meat from a hot cauldron. In China, sticks have their own name - “kaizi”, 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 appliances, but use disposable ones called varibashi. Therefore, do not worry about hygiene, you can safely learn how to use chopsticks, and then dispose of them.
They began to use chopsticks 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 resembled tweezers. Later, wood, plastic and ivory began to be used for production. Japanese do not favor metal sticks, as they can damage tooth enamel. The Chinese begin to teach children how to use sticks from an early age, and a two-year-old can safely handle such a device. Chinese sticks are approximately 20 cm long. They are quite thick and easy to handle. In Japan, sticks are shorter by 5-10 cm and, in addition, they have sharp tips. There is a Korean version of the sticks - chokkarak. They are made of stainless steel. They can only be used by an experienced eater, so that they will seem too thin and uncomfortable to a European.
In the Chinese version
So how to use chopsticks? If the restaurant brought you plump and long sticks, then this is clearly a Chinese option. They are convenient, but first of all you need to learn how to hold them. That stick, which 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. With your thumb you need to click on the stick to fix 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 the Hashi must be kept differently. Here the passive stick lies at the base of the thumb. Almost in the middle, the stick rests on the upper phalanx of the ring finger. It turns out that the thumb, forefinger and middle finger form a ring. In this ring the active stick acts. The index finger is responsible for the movements.
Sticks Nuances
Knowing how to use the chopsticks in theory is half the battle, but not everyone can replicate the experience in practice. Food etiquette needs to be thoroughly studied. For example, using 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. They should not be pricked with food. Clenched sticks indicate a threat, and if you stick them in rice, you can insult the owner of the house. This dish is intended for the enemy. In general, it is not in vain that knowledge of how to use chopsticks is considered art. In Asian homes, commonplace 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 knows the art of wand handling.
Algorithm in the smallest aspects
In order not to fuss in front of lunch partners, it is better to practice how to use chopsticks for sushi in the 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 sticks in a circle from the thumb and forefinger, directing the sharp ends to the dish. Conditionally divide them into upper - active and lower - passive. The lower one supports the food, and the upper one captures it. For convenience, the upper stick can be moved with the thumb, holding it with the index and middle. Grab rolls from the horizontal sides, and land from the vertical. Gently dip the rolls in soy sauce, and when you take out, shake gently to brush off excess sauce. Now send food by mouth, enjoying the taste. Here's how to use chopsticks for sushi.
Ethically
In Eastern culture, knowledge of how to use Chinese chopsticks correctly, reviews get positive not only among certain nations, but also among our compatriots, since the process looks beautiful and authentic. Eating with the Japanese is a whole ritual that entails many conventions. In particular, sticks should not be licked, stuck in food or passed a piece of food to neighbors on the table. If you touch your chopsticks with a chopstick, you need to eat it. And if you take food from a common dish, then you need to use the opposite end of the chopsticks. You can’t wave your chopsticks, move dishes with them, or attract the attention of a waiter. When finished, don’t put your chopsticks on a plate. In some countries, such an act may mean hostile mood or dissatisfaction with the meal. Better put them next to a plate on a napkin. From an ethical point of view, one should not finish soy sauce or eat up the whole wasabi, which is laid on the table. These ingredients have a specific taste and should not be abused. That's the whole science of how to handle chopsticks properly. Enjoy your meal!