THE ART OF EATING WITH YOUR FINGERS

Many people in India eat food with their fingers.  Some people in the west may frown upon that or find that unhygienic – it is not unhygienic since one hopefully washes their hands 🙂

Most Indian meals consist of either roti (bread) or rice.  The roti makes a makeshift spoon for the vegetables, etc in the meal – it’s the rice that causes trouble for some.

It is quite simple really.

The above pictures should help.  Take a little food in your thumb and first two to three fingers – then with your thumb move the food to the tip and gently place in mouth.

Enjoy – its really as simple as that.

The following might be of interest to some – it certainly was to me.

Our hands and feet are said to be the conduits of the five elements. The Ayurvedic texts teach that each finger is an extension of one of the five elements. Through the thumb comes space; through the forefinger, air; through the mid-finger, fire; through the ring finger, water and through the little finger it is earth.

Each finger aids in the transformation of food, before it passes on to internal digestion. Gathering the fingertips as they touch the food stimulates the five elements and invites Agni (fire) to bring forth the digestive juices. As well as improving digestion the person becomes more conscious of the tastes, textures and smells of the foods they are eating, which all adds to the pleasure of eating.

Until I eat again!