| Etiquette Of Indian Dining |
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Proper Table Manners vary from culture to culture, although there are always a few basic rules. This holds true for dining in an India n household or restaurant. Indians traditionally don't use Cutlery for eating, as many foods - such as Indian Breads and Curry - are best enjoyed when eating with the hand. There is a story that the Shah Of Iran , on a visit to India, was so impressed by the custom that he remarked that to eat with a Spoon and Fork is like Making Love through an Interpreter . However, spoons (occasionally two used in a clasping motion) and forks are commonly used to distribute foods from a communal dish, as it is considered rude to touch the foods of others. Indians usually give the following explanation for the practice of eating with hands: "Food is divine and needs to be enjoyed with touch, smell and taste. There is no joy in using a knife and thorns to eat it." Eating with your hands is a technique can be quite clean when done correctly. First, the hands must be thoroughly washed, with particular attention paid to the fingernails. Having long fingernails in India is considered unhygenic (with the exception of Sadhus and other ascetics). The food should be scooped into the fingers and quickly brought to the mouth. In North India, when eating curry, the Gravy must not be allowed to stain the fingers up to your knuckles--only the fingertips are used. However, in South India, it is acceptable to use more of your hand. Bowing one's head to the plate, or occasionally bringing the plate closer to the mouth is acceptable. When flatbreads such as Chapati , Roti , or Naan are served with the meal, it is acceptable and expected to use pieces of them to gather food and sop up gravies and curries. RIGHT HAND The cardinal rule of dining is to always use the right hand when eating or receiving food and never the left. The left hand is considered Unclean and to use the left hand when eating is considered vulgar and uncouth. It is however acceptable to use the left hand if there are any spoons/cutlery for taking food from the dish onto your plate. BEEF AND PORK Hinduism is the largest religion and Islam is the largest minority in India. Almost all Hindus consider the Cow Sacred , and never eat Beef . Muslims consider the Pig Unclean and never eat Pork . Restaurants in more conservative Indian states, therefore, don't serve beef or pork, and if they are not on the menu then one would not ask for them for risk of offending the restaurateur. On the other hand, beef is commonly available in the North-Eastern states and Kerala and pork is common in Goa, Kerala, Karnataka. |
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