Chopsticks In 3 Easy Steps
If you are looking for a quick and easy way to pick up your food, you should learn how to use chopsticks. While you are still a kid, it can be beneficial to practice using chopsticks on floppy, sliced, and cubed foods first.
Once you master the technique, you can practice using more significant items. In this article, we’ll show you how to use chopsticks to pick up a larger piece of food.
Usually, the chopsticks are made of bamboo, although contemporary chopsticks are often constructed of plastic.
The Japanese chopsticks are shorter than the ones for Chinese food. In Korea, they have fancy chopsticks made of brass or silver.
They have the maximum surface area and are usually reusable. They are also a great alternative to savage tongs when flipping delicate foods.
And remember, they’re not only better for cooking than for eating, too! So how do you use chopsticks correctly?
Chopsticks History
It is said chopsticks, even more than the writing brush, are the major unifying factor of Chinese civilization.
As described in written records as early as 3,000 years ago, chopsticks are the most straightforward tool for conveying bite-sized morsels of food from a plate or cooking vessel to the mouth.
As early as the Zhou Dynasty (11th-third century BC), chopsticks were used for eating meat and vegetables, while the rice was still picked up with hands.
The Chinese name for chopsticks during this period was zhu, its pronunciation homonymous with a word meaning “to stop.”
Since that same word might bring bad luck to ships — as ships were not supposed to stop en route, the stick’s name was changed to kuai, meaning “quick.”
Chopsticks are roughly the same size throughout China. Unique long bamboo chopsticks are used in the kitchen.
In the past, wooden chopsticks inlaid with silver thread were used to test whether a dish contained poison. Silver reacts to several poisonous substances by changing color.
At a family banquet, pairs of chopsticks of the same size, color, and materials are as important as other tableware.
How to use the chopstick is also an essential part of table manners. It is impolite to place the chopsticks over a bowl, to punch them into a bowl of rice, to beat the bowl with them, to pick up food quickly with them, or to point with them.
To use chopsticks properly, start by holding them properly. Place one of the chopsticks between your thumb and index finger. The other end should rest on your ring finger. This way, you’ll always be able to control it easily.
Remember that the purpose of chopsticks is to be a pivot. The bottom one should always be stationary, while the top is used for maneuvering.
If you are holding chopsticks the wrong way, you will end up breaking the chopsticks or breaking them.
If you’re having trouble picking up a piece of food, try imagining yourself making air quotes with your hands.
You’ll be fine if you can keep your grip tight and use light pressure. And don’t forget that the top chopstick is the main working stick.
When you grasp a piece of food with chopsticks, you’ll be eating with ease! So, take your time to learn how to use chopsticks.
A few more rules of etiquette for the mannerly:
- Do not use your chopsticks as speers to stab food.
- Don’t point at anyone with your chopsticks.
- Don’t take something from a serving dish and put it back into it again.
- Place chopsticks across your bowl or plate between bites and at the end of the meal.
Video Instructions on How To Use Chopsticks
