Pointers on table manners

Food

Eating with hands 

In the Western side of the world, this is actually considered nasty and a transgression of table manners but a lot of Indian food calls for eating with the hand. You can’t eat roti with a fork or spoon. If you can get your hands dirty while munching on pizza or burger, then what’s the harm in eating Indian food with hand? Also, there’s a whole science behind it. Let me throw some light on this. According to Ayurevda, a school of thought propagated by Dhanavantri, an expansion of Vishnu, each finger helps in the transformation of the food before it gets digested. The usage of hands stimulates the five elements and invokes Agni to bring forth the digestive juices. Also, modern science has proved that eating with your hand makes you feel fuller soon. It certainly has its psychological impact too. So the next time you’re embarrassed to use your hands, rethink your priorities. 

While addressing the waiter, do not say “Chai tea” or “Naan bread”. Both terms essentially mean the same thing! Naan is a variety of Indian flat bread, basically an offshoot of roti. Rotimatic, an automated robotic machine has now made roti-making a walk in the park. If anyone is keen on purchasing this appliance, look up rotimatic reviews before you make any big decision.

  • Naan and butter chicken is not everything there is to Indian food.

     You can read that again. Indian food like everything else is diverse. Our languages, customs, religion etc. is  

     multifold. You’ve been living under a rock if you assume that Indian food is just a few much talked about 

     items like samosa and pani puri. There’s a learning curve to it but you’ll see that Indian food is practically 

     unlimited.

  • Curry?

     That’s an all encompassing term that the British have imposed upon us. The rampant usage of the word, 

     “curry” is cringeworthy. Curry is just a word used for dishes that are vegetables or meat cooked in a rich 

     gravy. It is basically a side dish to rotis or rice. Throwing that word around as a reference to Indian food

     makes you look ignorant, not cool. 

  • Indian food is spicy!

     No, not true at all. Indian food for the umpteenth time is variegated. If you’re someone who shies away from 

     spice, then there are plenty of options that are mild or even sweet. There are chapatis that are made with a 

     combination of lentils and jaggery which is sure to delight your taste buds. Please do your homework 

     you hit up that new Indian restaurant.

  • Eating on a plantain leaf

     If you have the fortune of visiting a traditional eatery that serves food on a banana leaf, then you must note 

     that there are some rules to be followed. For instance, the manner of folding the leaf conveys a message. If 

     you fold it towards the sitting place, it means that you’ll be coming back again. Eating is a science in India 

     too!