Chopsticks 101

Dexterity with chopsticks comes with patience and practice. This pair of ivory chopsticks belonged to my late grandmother.

View Photos (1) Image © 2003 Kit Lum

From a single grain of rice to a whole chicken, from a fish bone to a half serving of noodles, from a small glass marble to a giant fishball, from wobbly tofu to small slabs of meat, the first thing that strikes you about a pair of chopsticks is just how simple, yet functional a concept it is.

Isn't it amazing what you can do with two long narrow distinct sticks held together in one hand? I think chopsticks have given the term "single-handed" a whole new meaning.

The history behind chopsticks

Termed kuai-zi in Mandarin, or fai-ji in Cantonese, chopsticks apparently got their name from those hungry and impatient folks who couldn't wait out the long communal cooking time, and cleverly broke off two twigs at a time from the nearby trees to pick up small pieces of food cooking in a large communal pot. Kuai or fai in Chinese means 'quick'.

Dating back some 5,000 years from the Shang Dynasty 1,600 years before Christ, the kuai-zi has come a long way. From their humble beginnings as twigs off a tree, the most basic of chopsticks were made from bamboo and wood which were relatively inexpensive and well suited to being shaped into sticks.

Later they evolved into more refined structures lending themselves to being made out of fine wood such as teak and sandalwood, metal, and bone, some elaborately carved. The wealthy took it one step further and had chopsticks made out of brass, jade, ivory, silver and even gold.

The why's and the wherefore's

Starting at a broader rectangular top and tapering to a blunt rounded end, Chinese chopsticks measure approximately 9 to 10 inches (22 to 25 cm) long. Japanese chopsticks tend to be a little shorter, around 7 to 8 inches (17 to 20 cm) long, and taper to a sharper, more pointed end.

In Asian homes today, wooden and plastic chopsticks are the most popular. Lacquered wooden chopsticks give a smoother, more refined look. Their polished surface, however, makes them more slippery and therefore, more challenging to the novice user. Nevertheless, their many varied designs make them pretty enough to be used as decorative pieces.

Chopsticks are suited to Chinese food which is typically served in bite-sized pieces. However, contrary to common belief, chopsticks are not only used for eating, they also function as cooking utensils. In many Asian kitchens, chopsticks take center stage for their versatility and convenience.

It has been argued that anything a fork can do, chopsticks can too - like beating (eggs), whipping, lifting (pieces of any shape or size), flipping, spearing, and piercing. And more. Chopsticks can and are used for stirring, tossing, prising, frying as well as deep-frying.

Cooking chopsticks are almost always made of wood because of the low heat conductivity of wood. If you're absent-minded (like me), chances are you'll leave your cooking chopsticks in the frying pan or over a simmering pot, and conveniently forget all about them. Now if cooking chopsticks were made of metal, striped palms would be the trademark of Chinese chefs everywhere :).

Cooking chopsticks are thicker and more robust to provide a stronger hold. Those for deep-frying are typically almost double the length of those used for eating, and can be as long as 17 inches (45 cm). Their length allows the cook to stand back from the wok (or Chinese stir fry pan) of bubbling oil and still be able to reach in to flip over the pieces.

Mastering the Art

Chopsticks are a great tool, highly versatile and very handy to have around, if handled correctly. You may have noticed that different people hold the chopsticks differently. Take a look around when you're out at a Chinese restaurant and you'll see what I mean.

The true test of dexterity, however, is how well someone is able to pick up a marble with a pair of plastic or lacquered chopsticks (the most slippery) and transport it from one bowl to another some distance away without incident.

With the right grip and plenty of practice, this shouldn't be too difficult. You ready to get down to the basics?

First hold the chopsticks in both hands with the sticks resting one on top of the other, ensuring they're lined up. You won't be able to pick anything up if one chopstick is longer than the other. Your grip should be at around the half-way mark if you have average-sized hands. The larger your hands, the higher your hold should be so that your fingers won't get in the way.

Next move the two sticks slightly apart so that the lower stick is resting on your ring finger. Grip the upper stick between your middle finger on the bottom and your index finger on top. Your thumb should be perpendicular to, and astride the two sticks. These positions should be maintained at all times during use. (see photo)

Practice the opening and closing movements by extending your middle-and-index finger hold on the upper stick to open, and retracting the hold to its original position to close. The lower stick remains in position at all times and does not move.

Now for a couple more tips: For larger than bite-sized pieces, simply press your chopsticks down on the piece to break it apart. Don't exert too much pressure or the piece will fly! Alternatively you may lift the entire piece to your mouth, and take a bite. With tofu and other soft food, use your chopsticks in a shoveling motion as opposed to lifting.

Chopstick Etiquette

If you've been invited to a Chinese meal, it's best to take some time to familiarize yourself with the many chopsticks do's and don'ts ahead of time.

When you're seated at the dining table before a meal begins, leave your chopsticks where they are. The courteous thing to do is to wait for the signal from your host to start the meal before picking up your chopsticks.

Always wait for the host to make the first move. Don't be the first to make a beeline for the communal dishes, no matter how hungry you may be, or how enticing the dishes may look.

Another thing to bear in mind: the Chinese consider it good table manners to begin a meal from their own bowl. So start with a mouthful of rice from your own bowl before you reach for the dishes.

When you're done eating one course, and while waiting for the next course to be served, either lay your chopsticks neatly together across your bowl, lean them on the chopstick rest (if one is provided), or against the part of the plate nearest to you. Pick your chopsticks up only when you're ready to start eating again.

At the end of the meal, lay your chopsticks neatly together either flat on the table beside your bowl, or place them on the chopstick rest.

The Chinese do not pass food around during meals. All of the dishes are placed in the middle of the table, and everyone reaches in to pick up what they want and bring it back to their own bowl.

Many now consider this practice to be unhygienic, so it's best to avoid using the end you are eating with to pick up food from the communal plate. Instead turn your chopsticks upside down and use the reverse end. If there is a spoon accompanying the dish, use it to scoop the food into your bowl.

Always take the piece nearest to you. Avoid stretching your arms and reaching way across to the spot furthest from you to select the piece you prefer.

Say, you like chicken drumsticks and you spot one on the plate. If it happens to be on the side nearest you, then you're in luck, go for it. But if it happens to be far from you, way across on the other side of the plate, then it's just too bad. Don't reach over to grab it unless it's offered to you.

Never use your chopsticks to shovel and stir up a dish in search of your preferred food items. Strictly speaking, in Chinese dining, you simply pick up what you see. If you don't like what you see, select something else from another dish. Or if your favorite item is buried below other items and is not visible, you'll just have to wait till it comes up. It's the ultimate in bad table manners to dive into the communal plate and fish around!

Soup often comes in a big common bowl, and is ladled into a smaller soup bowl for each individual at the dining table. Never dip your chopsticks into the communal soup bowl to 'fish' for your preferred soup ingredients. This practice of "washing your chopsticks" is severely frowned upon!

While chopsticks lend themselves to a myriad of uses, they're strictly not musical instruments, and should never be used as drum sticks to hit against the dinnerware or glassware, or as batons to twirl over your head, even in the worst bout of boredom!

Don't split your chopsticks up. There is a very good reason why chopsticks come in pairs. It's because they're meant to be used in pairs, and to stay together as a pair. A brief diversion: Chopsticks are considered an auspicious symbol at weddings because they signify togetherness like lovers in love, like husband and wife.

So this is why it's such a big no-no to split up a pair of chopsticks and hold them one in each hand. There may be times when you may be tempted to split them up when you encounter difficulties using them in a pair.

For example, fishballs are round and slippery, and when picking one up gracefully proves to be too big a challenge, you may be tempted to use a single chopstick as a spear to pierce it and bring it safely home safely to your bowl. Don't.

Try to minimize the clinking sounds of your chopsticks hitting your bowl as you eat. The Chinese consider this to be taboo because this is associated with how beggars would 'clink' on eating utensils in the old days to solicit attention and donations.

Avoid passing food directly from one pair of chopsticks to another.

Don't use your chopsticks to point at someone, or gesture wildly about when you're talking.

Never stand your chopsticks upright because it is a custom associated with offerings to the dead.

It's considered bad luck to drop your chopsticks during meals. So hang on tight, and don't let them slip through your fingers.

Never use the pointed end of your chopsticks to pick your teeth, or to scratch yourself.

Never lick or chew on your chopsticks, or speak with one end in your mouth.

Fancy ways with chopsticks

Because of their shape, chopsticks have the advantage of being able to reach into narrow-mouthed jars and bottles. They're great for picking preserved food items such as pickles out of jars, or button mushrooms out of cans.

Ever shaken a newly-opened bottle of ketchup till you're blue in the face because of the pressure that's holding it in? Simply push a single chopstick into the narrow neck of the bottle, stir it around a little to release the pressure, and your troubles are over.

Chinese cooks use the wok for steaming which is why the round flat perforated metal piece oftentimes comes along when you buy a Chinese wok set. In Asia, however, the wok is sold as a standalone item, which means you'll either have to buy the steamer piece separately, or you can do what the Chinese have been doing for generations. You lay your wooden cooking chopsticks across the wok, slightly apart, and use them as a prop for your plate.

One last thing: My advice is to practice, practice, practice. Once you get the hang of it, you'll appreciate them even more. Good luck and have fun!

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Published on 7/15/03