Chopsticks

[tuky]

May I ask, what is a "MK dinner" ?

Please excuse the spelling in my translation, but MK is a rather prolific resturaunt chain throughout Thailand.

MK stands for...

MooYong Kowree

Which translates as far as I know to Korean Food!!!

But I have spent several years in Korea and have never eaten or seen a similar place that sells anything like MK food.

[Tywais]

May I ask, what is a "MK dinner" ?

"MK Restaurant, the most renowned restaurant specializing in sukiyaki, with over 70 branches around Thailand." In this case it is Thai style sukiyaki and quite a bit different then the Japanese style. In our case they use a small barbecue grill to cook the vegetables, eggs, etc. and a top to put pieces of cut meat to barbecue.

[soundman]

Did you know that depending on how you hold your chopsicks, one can discern another's mood or intentions?

For all us clumsy farangs the message is clear - clutz!

[billp]

I suppose Thais went from eating by hand to Western implements ? Anyone know ?

The spoon and fork was supposedly introduced by Chulalongkorn Rama V after a trip to Europe.

One morning he ordered his kitchen to cook a multi-course Western meal and invited the British consul over, sat him down and asked him to 'eat as they do in Europe' so that he could observe their table 'skills'. After everything was done, the King decided he had no use for a knife when eating Thai food (for it was all already chopped up), but found the fork and spoon handy and so begun the use of cutlery in Thailand. Nowadays everyone uses the fork to push the food onto the spoon (in your right hand), which then goes in your mouth. The fork, however, never does.

That's from Donna on this forum, June 10, 2007.

[uptou]

You can also use chopsticks to steam your red snapper or other fish.Just need a heat proof plate & then lay a couple or three chopsticks across the plate,then plonk the fish on top of the sticks,all raised up inside a closed pot of boiling water.Keeps the fish out of the juices (which are collected in the plate,& used alot for the sauce).

[Prakanong]

Crossy, the Korean ones are hard to use yeah?

They are flat.

If you can use a Korean chopstick you can use any chopstick (luckily, after several years in Korea I have mastered the art).

They also get bloody hot picking up the tender morsels from the kalbi barbecue, ouchie!!!

Mmmmm, kalbi, bulgogi, budae chigae Darn, thinking about all that delicious Korean food is making me hungry, wonder if there are any decent Korean reastaurants in Bangalore?

If there is I hope they are not like the Indian Chinese ones I saw ;-)

It was a laugh in the Hotel with my Thai colleague - she ordered hot and sour soup in the fusion restaurant and it was a crap version of sezchauan hot and sour and not Thai as she thought (I know most people would think sezchuan straight away) - her father is in the restautant biz too in both Thailand and Canada

[Prakanong]

Never with sohm tahm though. The way my wife makes it, probably would dissolve the wood.

I know what ya mean

only used for noodle soup at a stall,

Take care though. The wooden one's retain bacteria in the grain, so if not washed thoroughly, leave a clear route to the toilet

My Mrs has loads of chopsticks in the drawer but only uses them, as others have said, for noodles. And she uses these spoons. Are these originally from China, also?

I have read that referred to as an "Asian Spoon" in Singapores Straits Times but they were just being too up themselves as usual.

I do think its chinese soup spoon - anyone?

[kayo]

I play "chopsticks" Occasionally. Never did in Thailand.

Eating with them? Occasionally. More Chinese food than Thai though. I use spoon (with Fork aid) for Thai food.

[canuckamuck]

I use the tools that are put before me.

[WaiWai]

I suppose Thais went from eating by hand to Western implements ? Anyone know ?

The spoon and fork was supposedly introduced by Chulalongkorn Rama V after a trip to Europe.

One morning he ordered his kitchen to cook a multi-course Western meal and invited the British consul over, sat him down and asked him to 'eat as they do in Europe' so that he could observe their table 'skills'. After everything was done, the King decided he had no use for a knife when eating Thai food (for it was all already chopped up), but found the fork and spoon handy and so begun the use of cutlery in Thailand. Nowadays everyone uses the fork to push the food onto the spoon (in your right hand), which then goes in your mouth. The fork, however, never does.

That's from Donna on this forum, June 10, 2007.

Thanks for all the informative replies.

Nowadays everyone uses the fork to push the food onto the spoon (in your right hand), which then goes in your mouth. The fork, however, never does.

I do take advantage of my innate white-face boorishness at times to use chopsticks instead of the fork & spoon, or to do the polite Western thing of putting down the knife and using the fork in the right hand for certain foods.

Edumacational all round.

[chicowoodduck]

I love to use chopsticks. They have a sense of elegance. My Thai GF is rubbish with them. I keep telling her she should learn to use them so as to integrate better into Asian culture (She appreciates my sense of irony :-))

I mostly use them as a weapon as I'm chopsticks challenged!

[suiging]

You know when you can use chop sticks when you can pick up thre peanuts at one time.............try it.

[Jingthing]

Or a SINGLE grain of rice.

[meemiathai]

Both the above no problem.

[wudangtiger]

Peanuts are easy, rice can be a problem. My ex-gf (chinese) told me you should finish every last grain of rice or its rude. I'm quite glad she's ex!

In Thailand, every time I've been told "only for noodles" - but then sushi is hardly a national dish.

I'm amazed that anyone in thailand can have missed MK ... I counted 4 of them on a 30 min walk down the lower half of ratchada just the other week! One thing you MUST NOT MISS is the MK waitress dance on the hour, every hour

[torrenova]

I use them all the time from cooking to eating. My ex was Japanese so they became the norm as most of our food was asian.

[taxout]

Yes, that's a Chinese soupspoon.

But I don't understand why chopsticks should be any more foreign to Thais than Western cutlery.

Perhaps someone can identify truly indigenous Thai eating utensils.

Edited December 11, 2007 by taxout

[percy2]

We have many chopsticks, but only for noodles. We even have special bowls and soup spoons with little handles to stop them falling in the bowl.

I think the trick with the Korean sets are not to apply pressure, the self weight of the steel is enough to grip your food.

do the polite Western thing of putting down the knife and using the fork in the right hand for certain foods.

Thats definitely as US thing which I've watched without beeing able to fathom.

Perhaps someone can identify truly indigenous Thai eating utensils.

Cheers

[TheDon]

Chopsticks are great

[torrenova]

Using some now to turn sausages !

[Boo]

sorry forgot, we have the realy long cooking chopsticks too. Sushi is eaten only at home & with fingers

[Gary A]

Interesting subject. I had really never thought about it. When I first came to Thailand, the Thais I worked with preferred Chinese restaurants. I soon learned that I had two options. Eat with my fingers or learn to use chop sticks. I practiced at home by eating peanuts and finally developed the knack. I am now retired and we live up country. We never use chop sticks at home but when we go out to eat, they are my preferred utensil. Nothing exotic or cultural, just doing what works best for me.

[tuky]

A single grain of rice with Korean chopsticks is the ultimate test of ones ability

FUnnily in my house if we are eating sausages the spoon is used to pre cut the sausage (or similar) and chopsticks are used to then transport sausage slice to the mouth.

Perhaps because it is easier to use chopsticks to dip the sausage (or steak cube or whatever) into the chilli sauce?

[PattayaParent]

I use chopsticks exclusively unless eating out (spoon and fork) or eating pizza (hands).

[Tinkelbell]

In my household, we use folk and spoon.

Usiing chopsticks with sushi,sashimi and noodles only.