How to use sushi chopsticks as deftly as Asians

One day there comes a time when, not out of idle curiosity, you become interested in how to hold sushi chopsticks correctly. Those who are determined should take into account that there are several ways. You can hold the device correctly, incorrectly, or make training sticks out of ordinary sticks. The correct method is when the upper stick is held and moved with three fingers: index, middle and thumb; incorrect - when the load is on only the index finger.

What types of sushi chopsticks are there?

You've probably noticed that there are different types of chopsticks: with blunt and sharp ends, disposable and reusable, wooden, metal, plastic and ivory, unpainted, with drawings or engravings. The peoples of Asia use them instead of spoons and forks. They are incredibly comfortable for them.

Good to know. Sushi is a dish of Japanese cuisine, where chopsticks (here they are called hashi) are mastered from infancy. Khasi is used even during tea ceremonies and is in a sense sacred.

They are also used in Korea, China, Vietnam, Mongolia and Thailand. From here there are several types:

• Kuaizi (Chinese). They have a square base to prevent them from rolling on the floor. They are the thickest and longest.Length – 25 cm. Made of metal, bone, plastic or wood.
• Weisheng kuaizi – this is what the Chinese call cheap wooden disposable chopsticks. They can leave splinters, so rub them together before using them.
• Chokkarak (Korean). Thinner than all other types of sticks. Chokkarak are made of stainless steel. In Korea, they are universal: they are used both for cooking and for eating.
• Hashi (Japanese). They are often a work of art. They are made of bamboo, ivory, sandalwood, pine, cypress, maple or plum, and never metal (so as not to “scratch a metal tooth”). They are distinguished by a variety of shapes: with a round and square section, with a pyramidal and conical tip.
• Varibashi (disposable). The same chopsticks that are most often found in restaurants and cafes around the world. Varibashi differs from other species in that they are undersplit. The upper ends are deliberately not sawn, so that the client is calm and does not think that they have already been used. There are wooden and plastic ones.

How to use sushi chopsticks

Using two sticks, like tongs, they grab small pieces of food and put them in the mouth. You can also perform many other manipulations with their help:

• mix the ingredients in a plate, stir the sauce;
• separate and chop pieces of food;
• cut some food (for example, a piece of soft dessert on your plate);
• remove inedible parts (fish bones, decor).

Important! Never spear food. Use the device exclusively as tongs.

Remember that sushi is eaten whole. Do not break off pieces or bite off. If the piece is too big, cover your mouth with your palm and try to chew it.

How to hold

Once in a Japanese restaurant, you can always ask the waiter to show you how to use chopsticks. It is quite easy for both adults and children to learn. Take a look at the diagram:

Now let’s look at how to pick up the device step by step:

1. Take the first stick. Point the sharp end towards your fingers.
2. Place the tip in the notch between your index finger and thumb. Pinch.
3. Place the bottom of the stick against the pad of your ring finger. It should be half bent.
4. Now take the second stick. You need to take it with the sharp end towards the food.
5. The tip should be placed on the phalanx of the index finger (slightly bent).
6. The pad of the thumb holds the stick so it doesn't fall.
7. From the phalanx of the index finger it descends to the middle finger and ends up between the lateral parts of the pads of the index and middle fingers.

Wrong (easy) way

The second method is even easier to master than the first. Many people come to it intuitively. How to pick up hashi (varibashi) step by step:

1. Hold the bottom stick between your index finger and thumb.
2. Place the end on your middle finger.
3. Place the top stick along the index finger. Pinch with the tip of your thumb.

Photo:

The sticks move apart and close by moving only the index finger. But keep in mind that your hand can get tired quickly. It's better to learn the right way.

Training sticks

If you have absolutely no idea how to pick up sushi chopsticks and are too hungry to figure it out, use special chopsticks for students. They come in two types:

1. Training ones, with finger rings. Usually purchased for children, so that they quickly understand and remember well how to use the device correctly.
2. Secured with an elastic band. They are offered in many establishments to clients who do not know how to use chopsticks and for some reason do not want to master the technique. Essentially, these are just wooden tongs that are quite easy to use to pick up food.

You can fasten the sticks yourself. You will need 2 rubber bands for money, a piece of wood or a paper napkin. Using one rubber band, pull the tops of the sticks tightly together. Place a piece of wood or a small paper roller between them. Secure the roller with a second rubber band to prevent it from slipping. The “tongs” are ready.

As it is

Learning to eat non-teaching warbashi is very easy if you know one secret. It consists in the fact that the lower stick remains motionless while eating. Only the top stick moves.

Instructions:

1. Spread the sticks apart.
2. Grasp a piece of food with them.
3. Squeeze lightly.
4. Control the pressure. It should be exactly so that the food does not fall. If you overdo it, a piece of food may break or slip out.
5. Bring it to your mouth. Eat it.

"Stick" etiquette

Rules of stick etiquette vary from country to country. We will consider only those that are common in Japan, where the sushi dish comes from.

1. You cannot separate a pair of chopsticks: hold one in each hand, place them on opposite sides of the plate. One unit is stuck into the rice plate of a deceased person at a wake. It is believed that he is no longer completely in this world, and he has no need for a partner.
2. It is bad form to wave chopsticks, shake them, call the waiter with them, use them as a pointer, lick them - the same rules apply as with European cutlery.
3. The sticks are placed so that they do not point at the neighbor.
4. The chopsticks are usually served with a special rectangular hasioki stand.If there is none, the thin ends can be placed on the edge of your plate, but not on the common one.
5. Eastern peoples never hold chopsticks and any other utensil in their hands at the same time: a knife, a spoon, a fork. You can use both at the table, but take turns.

The Japanese watch with interest foreigners who use chopsticks. They are usually lenient when it comes to etiquette mistakes. The main thing is that a person eats, it is comfortable and tasty.

When many people say “sushi” they mean rolls. It wouldn’t hurt to explain here that rolls are actually an American dish. Just remember the names of the Philadelphia and California rolls. In America, the rules of etiquette are not as strict as in Japan. Rolls are sold everywhere in stores in prepared food departments. In restaurants and cafes they are served with regular varibashi.

Question answer

How do you eat sushi, with chopsticks or with your hands?

At a common table, and even more so from a common plate of sushi, it is customary to eat hashi or waribashi. But if a Japanese tastes a dish from the hands of a chef or eats from an individual plate, most likely he will not use cutlery. It is believed that the warmth of the hands melts the fish, becoming more tender and tasty.

How to properly disconnect a waribashi?

Pull one stick down, the other up. Do not pull them to the sides to avoid damaging them.

Be careful when reading the instructions. Try to hold the chopsticks in the correct way. It's only uncomfortable for the first 5 minutes. With a little practice, you can use them as confidently as a Japanese or Chinese.