It is equally important to discuss our very own culture and etiquette to be observed while dining at Indian Restaurants or eating Indian food. Some tips are given below, could be useful for those who visit India for the first time too! * Indian food is generally meant to be eaten with the hand. Many Indian foods such as naan and roti (both being types of flat bread) have to be eaten with the fingers. The proper method would be to break the bread and soak it in vegetable curry before eating it. * Indians generally do not use too much of cutlery and eat with their fingers. However, if you are not comfortable eating with your fingers, you can always pick up a fork and a spoon. If you do decide to use your hands, remember to use only your right hand for eating. The left hand should be used to serve food or to pass a dish to someone else. Left-handed people can reverse this arrangement. The basic idea is that one hand goes to your mouth while the other manages the food. * Many Indian restaurants do not serve alcohol. The restaurants that do serve alcohol, do not usually offer too much of a range. Indians do not have a wine and dine culture. So it would be best to go dry and try something like a mango lassi as a refreshing alternative. * As far as restaurant etiquette goes, paying the bill is always an issue. In India, when a person invites you to a restaurant, it generally means that (s)he is the host and that (s)he is going to pay the bill. Even when Indian companions want you to pay the bill, they will say no at least once when you offer to do so,. Be doubly sure about whether or not your Indian host wants to share the bill. * One huge faux pas you could make when dining at an Indian restaurant would be to offer someone else your jutha. "Jutha" is a Hindi word referring to "food which has come in contact with your mouth, saliva, or plate." It is considered rude and unhygienic to offer someone your "jutha"
South Indian Food Etiquette South Indian food is generally served in 4 to 5 courses. If you are attending a traditional wedding or auspicious occasion food is still served on Plaintain leaves. Most have transitioned to Steel plates but Chinaware,spoons/forks is generally never used during occasions. The order in which food is served is as follows:- sweet served at the right side lower corner of the leaf Table salt followed by pickle on the upper left side corner beside each other Sabji or Paliya which is a vegetable side-dish (Dry) most often made with coconut gratings not too spicy served beside the pickle. usually three different varieties Salad made out of fresh vegetables like cucumber/tomatoes and curd is served next Either vegetable pulao or Puliogare/any rice preparation served in the middle of the leaf.One is expected to begin eating only after this main course of rice is served. The ritual begins with first tasting the sweet dish as this is considered auspicious Papad follows next and the course with plain rice and vegetable mixed curry follows Next comes Rice with rasam..(A dilute watery curry made with tomatoes and little dal} Two other types of sweets are served next Plain rice with curd concludes the meal. There are a lot of variations in the types of dishes served viz:- In Andhra Prades the items are generally more in number especially a variety of chutneys and dry powders/pickles. Tamil Nadu and Karnatka are more or less the same whilst Kerala specialises in a lot of dishes amde from coconut. Chappatis are rarely served. Some times small puris are served in the beginning of the meal to eat along with curries. First timers find it very difficult to eat with their fingers. chappatisor bread/puris are generally broken into small pieces dipped in curry and eaten. Rice is mixed well with the curry and eaten using all five fingers. Eating out of a banana leaf is a skill cultivated with time. One should mix the rice with rasam quickly and smoothly or else the curry being too watery tends to run
Luv To drink Hey hi! u r rite as Indian food has to eat with hands. after that only it gives u satisfaction n u can feel u full with ur stomach. wid this i want to share that i love to drink Thandai also.
