How to Eat Indian Food with Your Hands

In India, eating with your hands is a tradition. Though cutlery is used everywhere, a lot of Indians prefer to eat Indian food with their hands.

1

Indian food is complex, but for our purposes, we can divide it into rice & rice-based (dosai, idli, etc.) and breads (chappatis/ Naans/ Rotis) and curries.

2

Use only your right hand, whatever the hand you usually use, might be.

3

Only your fingers should be used - no usage of the palm. Food on your palms conveys that you're uncouth.

4

The thumb of the hand is used to catapult the food into your mouth. Do not stuff your entire fist into your mouth. Not only is it inelegant, but it's disgusting to watch.

5

You have to tear the rice-based items (dosas, etc.) and bread (chappatis/naans, etc.) with one hand only - children and novices use both hands. Using your thumb and fingers to tear a piece of the bread off, scoop the curry or the vegetables with the bread and eat.

6

For the rice, you can use your fingers and thumb to similarly move the food into your mouth. Mix a bit of curry and rice together on the plate to make a little ball, then bring it up to your mouth.