What did we do before cutlery? Use our hands, of course!
I have always been an advocate for eating with one's hands, blame this on my Indian upbringing -- though much to the distain of my father. In my defence, there are plenty of cuisines worldwide that wouldn't taste and feel as good if they were eaten with cutlery.
Eating with your hands evokes emotions; there is something warming about it. While eating with your hands makes the food taste better, you're able to mix it to how you like. I believe it feeds not just your stomach, but your mind, as well. Eating with your hands forms a more personal connection to your food, considering you're first touching it and then tasting it. (Don't play with it!)
Though it is an art form in itself, I am not about to start classes soon. This article is a learn-on-the-go type of food art and here are my list of places and foods that you can experiment with. (Just call me the brand ambassador for eating with your hands!)
Feel your food, people!
HAND-TO-MOUTH ETIQUETTE
- While eating with your hands is common in many parts of the world like Asia, Africa and the Middle East, there is a certain etiquette that is central to most traditions.
- Hand-washing is first, naturally. In Muslim countries, a prayer is said before one is allowed to tuck in.
- In any culture where eating with your hands is prominent, it is polite to eat with your right hand — the left is considered unclean and you should avoid using it, even if you're left-handed.
- Though cuisines differ from place to place, flatbreads are used in place of cutlery. In Africa or where starchy mashes like fufu or ugali are replaced by flatbreads, pull off a bite-sized ball and use it like a spoon.
- Don't bring the plate to your mouth, lower your head instead.
- In most places there will be a finger bowl to wash your hands, or a waiter will bring a bowl and a pitcher to the table.
- Let's get down and dirty and list the everyday food that we should be eating with our hands
Indian
Saravana Bhavan
12/3 Sukhumvit 22
Open 11am-11.30pm
Call 02-258-3863
663 Silom Road
Open 9.30am-10.30pm
Call 02-635-4556
The largest South Indian vegetarian restaurant chain in the world, Saravana Bhavan was founded in 1981 and has more than 39 locations in India and 87 across Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.
It has two branches in Bangkok and I have feasted at both. Due to the very nature of South Indian cuisine, it is most ideally eaten with one's hands (and also for the sake of this cover story, that sentence is in perfect Indian English). To make the most of the intense and highly varied menu, it is best narrowed down by what I tried.
No visit to a South Indian resto is complete without ordering the idlis and dosa. Start with a cup of Rasam (B165), which is a mild spicy lentil soup. A rasam is like the South Indian version of an amuse bouche. It merely prepares your palate for what's to come.
If you're a glutton like I am, order the Mini idlis (B150 for 14 idlis). Though there's also the Idly (B145 for two normal-sized ones). The mini idlis are immersed in a South Indian lentil curry known as sambhar and garnished with the heavenly ghee (clarified butter). Dip a bit of the idly into the sambhar or chutneys served and eat it.
Get a Masala dosa (B175), which is the Indian version of a savoury crepe made of fermented rice flour and stuffed with potato, known as potato bahji. Break a little of the crepe off with your hands, wrap it around the potato and dip it into one of the three chutneys on offer or the sambhar. The trick here is to do all of this with one hand! Another good choice is the Milagaipodi masala dosa (B220) especially for spice lovers. A thin rice and lentil "crepe" is filled with a mixture of ground dry spices, containing dry chillies, lentil and sesame seeds, potato and onions. Saravana Bhavan has more than 30 varieties of dosa, each one more sumptuous than the other, including a peanut butter one that won't be found on a traditional Indian menu.
If you've decided to go all the way with your hands, get the Bisibelabath (B200), which is rice cooked with lentils and mixed vegetables. At first glance (and several glances later), the dish does resemble baby food as the rice is mushed together with the lentils and vegetables. But for eat-with-your-hand amateurs, what could be a better experimental dish?
Factoid: The infamous chain founder P. Rajagopal was in the public eye for a few years due to his arrest and sentence to life imprisonment for ordering the murder of employee Prince Santhakumar in 2001, because he fell in love with Santhakumar's wife Jeevajothi. While serving his sentence, Rajagopal suffered a heart attack and died on July 18 in a private hospital.
Indian
Indus
71 Sukhumvit 26
Open 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm to midnight
Call 02-258-4900
Visit indusbangkok.com
While most Indian food is hand-friendly (it is the traditional way of eating it, innit?), one of the best dishes to eat is the thali. Indus on Sukhumvit 26 recently introduced the "Epic Indus Thali" (B1,599++), which is available for lunch and dinner Monday to Friday. Featuring 19 different dishes, desserts included, and six chutneys and pickles, the Epic thali is for sharing between two people. The best thing about the thali is that it has dishes from all over India.
(Photos: Sofie Lisby)
Do not let this alarm you. The dishes are served in small bowls in a massive plate. They are merely tastings of the actual dishes on the menu and is the Indian equivalent of a tasting menu, served all at once. Of the 19, five are appetisers from the tandoor and grill like the tandoori chicken, mutton seekh kebab, malai-e-kebab, onion bhajia and my favourite of them – the fish Amritsari, which hails from the city of the Golden Temple, Amritsar in Punjab.
Dive into the rest of the thali hands-on! Break a bit of naan and dip it into a scrumptious Laal maas, which is a meat dish native to Rajasthan. It is usually made with mutton and is fiery due to red Mathania chillies. Here at Indus, the Laal maas replaces the popular Western favourite Rogan Josh. For those of you who love your Butter chicken, fret not. It is on the thali. My favourite vegetable dish was the Khatte baingan, which loosely translates as tangy aubergines. This is a dish from the Indian state much in the news today -- Kashmir -- and cooked with mustard oil and Kashmiri red chillies.
If you're a naan fan, there's the popular garlic naan. But also on the plate is a pudina paratha (mint flatbread) and a mirchi paratha (chilli flatbread). For rice lovers, a delicious saffron rice. There is nothing as satisfying as tucking into a thali hands first and satisfying your Indian craving.
And for those of you who may not be aware of this, every Indian meal ends with a finger bowl of warm water with a slice of lime. And no, don't sip it. It's to wash your hands before you can finish the process in the bathroom.
Factoid: Post a photo on social media using the hashtag takemetoindus, check in @indusbkk and stand a chance to win a B5,000 voucher for your next visit.
Ethiopian
Taye Ethiopian
Sukhumvit 3/1
Open 11.30am-11pm
Call 084-930-3250
Eating with the hands is common in much of Africa (I've been) and Ethiopia is no exception. The flatbread in Ethiopia is called injera, made from fermented teff flour and is the national dish of the country.
(Photos: Siroj Pairomahakij)
The moment you enter Taye Ethiopian restaurant on Sukhumvit 3/1, you are transported to mini-Ethiopia. What the restaurant lacks in ambience, it makes up for with the Ethiopian décor and a TV blazing music videos in Amharic. Though the menu is divided into appetisers, salads, vegetarian dishes (yes, Ethiopia has a large variety of veggies), meat and spaghetti (!) dishes, I was here for the Ethiopian meat combo (B450).
The combo is served traditionally in a Mesob or a breadbasket in which the injera is placed. The injera, which is tangy and has a sour taste to it, is rolled out like a sheet and acts as a plate and a vessel to ferry the different wots into your mouth. Wots are the different mixtures of meat and vegetable curries (for lack of an English word).
At Taye, the wots in the meal combo are: Doro wot, which is sautéed chicken marinated in seasoned butter and stewed in a sauce with ginger, garlic, cardamom and is generally served with a hard-boiled egg and homemade cottage cheese. My favourite veggie dish is the Shiro wot, which is a delish mix of ground chickpeas cooked in vegetable oil with chilli, onion, garlic and assorted spices. Due to the chilli, it has a lovely kick to it, once you get past the paste-like consistency.
The Kik alicha is the Ethiopian version of the Indian yellow daal and is yellow split peas cooked in oil with onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric and spices. The Yebeg alicha or lamb stew is cooked in butter and is mild compared to the wots. Also on the plate was a generous blob of yoghurt to cool down the palate from the spice and a green salad for freshness. Gomen wot is a dish Popeye would approve of. It's the Ethiopian version of collard greens and is often made with spinach. And lastly, a taste of Sega wot, which is the beef version of Doro wot only better. This is only coz I am not much of a chicken fan.
All the dishes can also be ordered separately and come served in a clay pot with an injera.
Wash this down with traditional Ethiopian coffee served in a jebena (B60) and be prepared for a kick and a buzz! There is also a traditional coffee ceremony should you want to pull out all the bells and whistles for B600. The ceremony is for up to five people and is a huge part of the culture.
Factoids:
- Traditional Ethiopian meals are eaten from a communal plate and if you cannot reach across the plate, you are meant to eat what is close to you.
- The reason why there are pasta dishes on the menu is because it is a staple in Ethiopia and is found all over the country. Though introduced by the Italians at the beginning of the last century during their colonial rule of the country, it is not served in Italian-style. You often find spaghetti or macaroni eaten with tomato sauce and veggies. Ethiopia is on its way to becoming one of the world's biggest pasta producers, along with its famous coffee.
Mexican
La Lupita
50 Suksawittaya Sathon 10
Tuesday-Saturday: 6-11pm
Sunday 3-9pm
Call 065-441-9255
Visit facebook.com/pg/lalupitabkk
Nothing says eat with your hands more than Mexican street food and La Lupita's new menu is just that. Mexican chef Sergio Velazquez serves up his hometown favourites like burritos, tacos and is more representative of Mexico. The Ceviche Acapulco (B220) is marinated sea bass, based on a coastal Mexican recipe, with fresh tomato and avocado. The dish is served with a tostada. The Guacamole (B260), which is a sizeable amount compared to other places in Bangkok, can be eaten with the hands using tortillas, made fresh every day, as a spoon. The Yuca fries (B90) is fried cassava with guasacaca salsa, which is traditionally Venezuelan.
But let's get down and dirty with the tacos, which are all B100. I tried the Campechano, which is a delicious mix of charcoal-grilled beef and chorizo. The Pescado or marinated sea bass, coriander, tomato and onion is served with chipotle from Mexico.
The Gringo burrito (B300) uses al-pastor-style marinated pork, pineapple relish and coriander. There is no rice in this burrito, as chef Velazquez likes to keep it simple. So it's just Mexican beans, jalapeño, cheese and the protein. Though the magic is in the sauce. In the Gringo burrito, the sauce is made with pineapple relish and the chef's special "Valentina" sauce. Wash all this down with a Horchata, which is a rice, milk, vanilla and cinnamon drink.
Tacos and burritos require using both hands to pick up, so don't be afraid, make sure you get in there.
Factoid: Every Tuesday, order a burrito and get a beer free; every Wednesday, buy four tacos for B300 and the best of it all -- La Lupita opens its doors from 3pm every Sunday! If you're afraid of the extra calories, burn them at Revolucion Cocktail bar below.
Pizza
Anyone who eats pizza with a knife and fork deserves a reality check, in my book. Pizza is meant to be eaten with your hands. Though there is much debate on the correct etiquette about it and many public figures have been shamed about using cutlery while eating pizza. In Italy, it is acceptable to cut the hot pizza with a knife and then use your hands to eat it. The New York way to eat a pizza is to fold the slice in half. (Though some take it a step too far by folding the entire pizza).
Pizza Massilia
1/8 Sukhumvit 49
Open daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm to midnight
Call 02-015-0297
15/1 Soi Ruam Ruedi
Open daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm to midnight
Call 02-651-5091
Visit pizzamassilia.com
The best Italian pizza in the city, Pizza Massilia has reinvented its menu and introduced low carb keto pizzas, which have added on to its gluten-free options. Perhaps the only pizzeria to have such options in Bangkok, the gluten-free dough is B100 extra and the keto is B150. With a choice of five pizzas, my favourite is the Burrata & Culatello (gluten-free B690, ketogenic B740), which comes from Zibello, and has the classic Italian organic tomato sauce, basil and extra virgin olive oil.
However, start with the Grilled padron peppers & scamorza (B390), which may need a tad cooling down before you get your hands on them. Then move on to the normal pizza, with the gluten and carbs. I usually avoid seafood on my pizzas, but I couldn't resist the Octopus & potatoes (B590). The octopus is firm and not chewy and the pizza comes with sautéed potatoes, Fior di Latte mozzarella, a dash of extra virgin olive oil and parsley. Yum! However, the pizza that does it for me is the A' Regina DOP (B420), with DOP San Marzano tomatoes, DOP Piennolo tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella DOP from Salerno, Bio extra virgin olive oil from Sicily, Italian basil and wild oregano from Monti Picentini in Salerno. With all those Italian ingredients, it's hard to go wrong.
Can one eat dessert with one's hands? Yes, yes and yes. Memory of Sicily (B390) is a mix of pistachio filled cannoli and bomboloni filled with sweet ricotta and candied lemon. Forget the cutlery and dig in!
Cantina Wine Bar & Italian Kitchen
26/3, Sukhumvit 11
Open daily 12pm to midnight
Call 02-821-5113
Visit cantinabkk.com/soi11
Ari Samphan 3
Open daily 5-pm to midnight (last order 11pm)
Call 02-038-5114
Visit cantinabkk.com/ari
Soi 11's newest friendly neighbourhood trattoria specialises in Napolitano pizzas, which is pizza originating from Naples, Italy. The ingredients are kept simple and the toppings are layered on housemade tomato sauce that keeps the thin and soft crust chewy, yet firm. All the pizzas are a standard 12 inches. Try the Prosciutto & Funghi (B350), which is tomato sauce, mozzarella, cooked Italian ham, shitake mushrooms and fresh basil. Since it's a Napolitano pizza, it would be a shame not to order the Napoli (B360), with tomato sauce, mozzarella, anchovies, capers and oregano.
The best thing about Cantina is that you can also order next-door-neighbour's Soho's New York-style pizza (available by the slice and open till 4am). I tried the classic NY-style pizza -- the Pepperoni (B150 for a slice / B750 for an 18-inch pie). Filled with pepperoni, mozzarella and oregano, this is a perfect slice for an anytime bite!
