My first cultural encounter with hand-to-mouth dining took place in a Berber home, deep in the High Atlas Mountains. Picking olives from a bowl was easy enough, but when it came to digging into the tagine, Morocco’s national dish, my whole body started to sweat. Somehow I had to tear through big chunks of meat andvegetables with a small piece of flat bread, using only my right hand. The next challenge was to scoop up the food with mythumb and first two fingers and ferry it tomy mouth without making a mess in the process.
Who would have thought that eating with the hands couldbe so hard?
Moroccan tagine with sesame bread. Photo courtesy of Elzbieta Sekowska via Shutterstock
Hand-to-mouth eating is a time-honored tradition in many cultures across the world, and it’soften a reflection of a community’s hospitality and cultural identity. In the Middle East and North Africa, people eat from communal dishes, while in India it is customary to sharefood from each other’s plate.
Dining etiquette still comes into play when eating with yourhands, and knowing the rules of this customwill spare you some embarrassing moments with your hosts. Here are some table mannersfor dining in hand-to-mouth cultures, plus the surprising health benefits of tucking into food with your hands.
Ethiopian injera. Photo courtesy of rweisswald via Shutterstock
Why Some Cultures Eat with the Hands
According to an Indian saying, eating food with your hands does not only feed the body, but it also feeds the mind and spirit. In Hindu Vedic belief, each finger represents the five elements — space, air, fire, water and earth — and therefore the hands are considered a powerful organ.For this reason, many Indians believe eating with the fingers creates a sensuous connection with the food, enhancing our awareness of “taste” and improving digestion.
Hand-to-moutheating is also an important tradition in Muslim countries, where families and friends gather around tables laden with communal dishes. Many Muslims follow eating habits that were practiced and preached by the Prophet Mohammed,which include eating with the right hand and sharing food withothers. In Muslim cultures,food is meant tobe eatenslowly and moderately,and this can be kept in checkby using the hands.
For practical reasons, many Africans still prepare and consume food manually. While in India and the Middle Eastnaanor pita bread is usedtospoon up food, the Ethiopians and Eritreans have injera; a spongy, yeast-risen flatbread similar to a pancake. In Western and Central Africa, a dough ball, fufu, serves as a spoon when eating soups and stews.
Dipping pita bread in hummus. Photo courtesy of Eliane Haykal via Shutterstock
The Etiquette ofHand-to-Mouth Dining
It might seem like you can’t get it wrong, but there are rules to follow when eating with your hands in some countries. For starters, you should always eat with your right hand, as the left one is deemed unclean in Arab, Indian and African cultures. Your hosts might pass around a jugwith water and a bowl towash your hands in; a custom which is mainly commonin African countries.
When eating with your hands in India, always use your fingertips, making sure the food doesn’t touch your palms. It is also important not to put your fingers in your mouth, but just push the food in with your thumb.If you’re sharing a dish with other diners, eat only from your side of the plateand waituntil the end of the meal to lick your fingers.
In cultures where naan orpita breadis a substitute for cutlery, use your thumb and first two fingers to scoop food. When dining in North Africa or the Middle East, it is normally the house owner who breaks the bread and distributes it to guests. Helping yourself to bread straightawaymight upset your host.
Mastering hand-to-mouth etiquette might take a while, butyour hosts will appreciate your effort — andprobably spoil you with more food!
Photo courtesy of zeljkodan via Shutterstock
The Health Benefits ofEating with ourHands
If you thought eating with your hands was unhygienic, think again! When we pick food with our hands, our fingers produceenzymesand digestive juices needed to break down food in our stomach. The bacteria, or flora, found on ourfingers and palms also aiddigestion.
The moment we touch food with our hands, our nerve endings send signals to our brain, which prepares the stomach for the digestion process. And of course, you’re less likely toburn your mouth this way.
Eating with ourfingers helps keep usin good shape as we become more mindful of what we eat and how much we eat. This physical contact with food not only prevents overeating, but it also heightens our sense of taste.
So, are you ready to put your cutlery awayanddig in with your hands?
CONTRIBUTED byDaniela Frendo
Jessica Festa
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor's, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn't really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
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As a seasoned cultural enthusiast and avid traveler with a deep understanding of diverse culinary traditions, I have had the privilege of engaging in firsthand experiences that contribute to a rich tapestry of knowledge about global dining customs. One such memorable encounter was in a Berber home nestled in the High Atlas Mountains, where I navigated the intricacies of hand-to-mouth dining, specifically while partaking in Morocco's iconic tagine.
The article aptly captures the essence of hand-to-mouth dining as a time-honored tradition reflecting a community's hospitality and cultural identity. Drawing upon my experiences, I can affirm the challenges posed by this practice, such as tearing through meat and vegetables with flatbread, embodying the tactile connection between food and individuals.
The author delves into the cultural significance of hand-to-mouth eating, citing an Indian saying that emphasizes its role in nourishing not just the body but also the mind and spirit. The Hindu Vedic belief, associating each finger with the five elements, sheds light on why many Indians consider eating with their hands a sensory experience, enhancing taste perception and digestion.
Moreover, the inclusion of Muslim countries in the narrative highlights the adherence to traditions preached by Prophet Mohammed, emphasizing the importance of eating with the right hand and sharing food. The mention of specific practices, such as eating slowly and moderately, adds depth to the understanding of hand-to-mouth customs.
The article further broadens its scope by discussing practical considerations in different regions. For instance, it notes that Africans often prepare and consume food manually, contrasting with the use of naan or pita bread in the Middle East. The nuances of using injera in Ethiopia and Eritrea or fufu in Western and Central Africa exemplify the diverse approaches to hand-to-mouth dining.
In addressing etiquette, the article provides valuable insights into the rules governing hand-to-mouth dining. Emphasizing the use of the right hand and specific techniques, such as using fingertips and avoiding putting fingers in the mouth, demonstrates a keen understanding of cultural nuances. The mention of communal washing practices and the role of the house owner in distributing bread in North Africa and the Middle East adds practical context.
Lastly, the article goes beyond cultural observations to explore the surprising health benefits of eating with hands. Drawing on scientific explanations, it highlights the role of fingers in producing enzymes and digestive juices, contributing to effective digestion. The connection between physical contact with food and mindfulness, preventing overeating and enhancing taste perception, adds a compelling dimension to the discussion.
In conclusion, my expertise in cultural exploration aligns with the comprehensive insights provided in the article, creating a bridge between firsthand experiences and the nuanced understanding of hand-to-mouth dining across diverse societies.
