I have been in South India for quite a long time and have encountered a meal served on the banana leaf pretty often.If you happen to be in Kerala during onam there is no way you could miss Onam Sandhya which comprises a gadzillion curries and another gadzillion payasams served on the Banana Leaf.
Eating off a banana leaf is not that simple.It has complex rules of etiquette to be observed and there is always something new to be discovered.
If the ladle handing out your scoop of rice freezes in mid air don't panic.The waiter is not going to smash it in your face.He is waiting for you to clean your babana leaf.Although if you still dont get the hint he probably would.
You need to be very careful while cleaning you leaf lest you end up rotating the leaf such that the broader end is toward the left.This is a strict no and your leaf may be snatched away from you in disgust.
If you are done with your meal you need to indicate so by folding your leaf, else you would find another scoop of rice bang in the middle of your leaf.
If you fold the leaf away from body it means that you are dissatisfied with your meal and if you fold it inwards it means that you consider it a smashing meal.I would advise always folding the leaf inwards unless you want a cavity on your face resembling the ladle.
Thats all for now,will keep adding new rules as i find them.
Eating off a banana leaf is not that simple.It has complex rules of etiquette to be observed and there is always something new to be discovered.
If the ladle handing out your scoop of rice freezes in mid air don't panic.The waiter is not going to smash it in your face.He is waiting for you to clean your babana leaf.Although if you still dont get the hint he probably would.
You need to be very careful while cleaning you leaf lest you end up rotating the leaf such that the broader end is toward the left.This is a strict no and your leaf may be snatched away from you in disgust.
If you are done with your meal you need to indicate so by folding your leaf, else you would find another scoop of rice bang in the middle of your leaf.
If you fold the leaf away from body it means that you are dissatisfied with your meal and if you fold it inwards it means that you consider it a smashing meal.I would advise always folding the leaf inwards unless you want a cavity on your face resembling the ladle.
Thats all for now,will keep adding new rules as i find them.
5 comments:
Hehehe...thanks for stating them all!
A few tips though which I learnt the hard way :)
1. How to make a central hole in the rice so that you can put the sambhar there without things flowing off your leaf.
2. How to eat the payasam after pouring it into your hands.....its realllly awwwssom way to eat..I'm not being sarcastic :)
I thought the Onam feast was called "Sadhya" and not Sandhya....anyways, I am a total newbie as far as malayalam goes.
hey
dunno bout no rulz but back home in assam too they use banana leaf on many occasions.....now i hardly know of which occasions.....but one thing is for sure...there is onyl one rule (as far as i am concerned) when it comes to eating....no rulz......khaana jaise hi parosa jaye....toot pado :o)
hey is this vivek jacob??? suckaa... when didja get hooked onto blogging?
Sanjiv
@hitchiker- you are gross!! kidding:)Never tried with payasam but have tried with more was a lot of fun:)
@vinay-you got me there.Its Sadhya not Sandhya,apologies
@anurag-Dutta!!welcome:)whoa! I didnt know the banana leaf was so popular.And you are right when u have the most awesome meal spread out in front of you the last thing you would be concerned about is etiquette.
@chaos-Welcome Sanjiv!!:) Been some time pal.
Post a Comment