Chopsticks are the quintessential kitchen utensils of Asian cuisine. They emerged in the 12th century BC in China, but their composition has evolved: from the most rudimentary ones made of branches, to the current ones made of bamboo or materials such as silver. Knowing how to use them is essential to enjoy Asian food while respecting the tradition of using chopsticks.
In fact, in oriental menus and tables, food is usually served in small portions to make the use of chopsticks more comfortable, in addition to showing courtesy to the invited guests and saving them energy by avoiding having to cut it into pieces. To discover how to eat with chopsticks, what can be eaten using them and the different types that exist, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
How to use chopsticks
Knowing how to grasp chopsticks is the key to using them correctly. Follow these recommendations to use them properly:
- Take the chopsticks by the thickest end, not the middle. Place the bottom toothpick resting in the space between your thumb and forefinger. For its part, place the upper toothpick on the tips of the index and thumb so that they are parallel to the lower toothpick.
- Do not move the lower toothpick in any case. Use the upper one by moving it with your thumb, middle and index fingers. It will take some practice to control them, as the chopsticks will slip out of your hand at first.
- Always bring the food you pick with the chopsticks to your mouth. By education and tradition, they cannot be sucked. In addition, it prevents them from coming into contact with the mouth.
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Tricks for using chopsticks
Are you a beginner in the use of chopsticks? At UNCOMO we think of you and we recommend the following tricks so you can use them more comfortably and without dancing in your hand.
- Spring Chopsticks: A clothespin may be enough to use the chopsticks. Extract with spring pliers from the clamp and insert the chopsticks crossed by the spring of the spring.
- Chopsticks with rubber and paper: something as simple as a piece of paper and rubber band will help you hold the chopsticks without fear that they will escape while you grab the food.
- Chopstick with a plastic cap: Make two holes in a plastic cap to insert the chopsticks into each one. Then, empty the cap by making a rectangular cut so that the two toothpicks pass through and can come out through the round holes.
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What can you eat with chopsticks?
Chopsticks are used to eat different Asian dishes. The best known is white rice or three delicacies, but the truth is that there are more. These are some examples of dishes that can be eaten with chopsticks:
- Asian soups with noodles.
- Ramen: Japanese noodle dish with a background broth. Contains a variety of vegetables, pork, chives, seaweed, and soy sauce.
- All kinds of sushis.
- Spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce.
- White rice and rice three delights (a classic of Asian food).
What you should never do with chopsticks
Japanese chopsticks are no toys, so you should not use them to play at the table. Just as western cutlery is not used for playing, neither is eastern cutlery. In addition, it is very important that you do not cross them, since in Asian tradition it is considered that crossing the sticks is bad luck.
It should be noted that the chopsticks rest on a small bowl called hashioki, designed specifically for it. So, do not stick them in the pieces of food. Nor in rice, since in Japan it is also considered to be bad luck.
Lastly, don’t use chopsticks to stir or prick food like a knife and fork.
Chopsticks types
After knowing how to eat with chopsticks, it is important to clarify that not all are the same. There are different varieties of sticks depending on their origin and size. These are some examples of chopsticks:
- Chopsticks: they are made of wood, long and with a round and narrow tip.
- Korean chopsticks: they are short and made of metal, although they also exist made of wood. They taper at one of the blunt ends.
- Japanese chopsticks: made of wood and long, narrowed at one end in a pointed shape.
- Vietnamese chopsticks: they are medium in size and flat, narrowed by a blunt end. Vietnamese sticks have traditionally been made of wood, but today they are also made of plastic.
- Saibashi chopsticks: they are specific for cooking and serving food. Its length is much higher than the rest.
- Đũa cả: it is a large, flat toothpick used to serve the rice from the pot.
Respecting the Asian tradition on the use of chopsticks and applying the tricks recommended by UNCOMO, you can eat with them at home and in any restaurant.
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