Rice

[Ian_Lee]

Does any poster notice that until very recently most Northern Chinese hardly eat rice? Huai River is the demarcation line which Chinese south of this line have rice as their main staple while Chinese north of this line mainly relies on wheat, millet and barley as their main staple.

In fact, if you watch those CCTV-produced Qing dynasty dramas, Cixi and the other mandarins hardly had a bowl of rice on their dinner tables.

First I think that Northern Chinese do not have rice as their main staple owing to the less favorable condition for rice cultivation.

However, if we look at neighboring regions with higher latitudes, i.e. Japan and Korea, their main staples are rice.

The most famous rice cultivation region in Japan is Tohoku (Honshu's Northeast). Name-brand rice is grown in prefecture like Akita whose weather condition is comparable to China's Northeastern provinces like Jilin.

But Jilin doesn't grow rice even though its soil is more fertile than that of Akita.

[Ian_Lee]

It seems that nobody is interested in boring subject like rice.

But does any poster notice the difference in how Chinese, Koreans and Japanese eat their rice (I have mentioned this in lonelyplanet)?

Most Chinese pick up the rice bowl and move close to their lips and use chopsticks to shovel the rice into their mouths.

For Koreans, the rice bowl is made in metal. They leave it on the table and use a silver spoon to scoop rice and put into their mouths.

For Japanese, they pick up their rice bowls but less frequently put the bowls close to their lips as most Chinese do (except some young Japanese). They use the chopsticks to pick up some rice from the bowl and then transport them into their mouths.

Interestingly many foreigners use the Japanese way to eat rice in Chinese restaurants but hardly do they succeed and being teased by their Chinese friends!

[Quest]

It's rude to eat rice with the bowl on the table, I have always been called "lazy" when I did that.

[Ian_Lee]

But for Koreans, since their rice bowl is made in metal, it is well-nigh impossible to pick up the rice bowl since it is a good conductor for heat.

[tetsuo500]

My basic knowledge of eating Korean style - Not sure how correct it is:

Always leave the bowls on the table! It's rude to pick up the bowl. might be ok, at home with your friends or family sometimes. But never in a restaurant.

You should usually use a spoon to eat rice.

Never, use spoon and chopsticks at the same time!

Only pick up your chopsticks and start eating after the elders have done so.

let the elders finish eating first.

You should turn away from the elders and cover your glass with your hand, when drinking alcohol.

If you're a guy eating with a girl..... when the girl has finished eating, you should ask her if she has finished eating, then take her bowl and finish her rice. You'll get lots of points for this one!

[tara]

Well, in Malaysia, the Chinese would eat their rice in a variety of ways...

Some, as Ian mentioned are: -

...pick up the rice bowl and move close to their lips and use chopsticks to shovel the rice into their mouths.

...leave it on the table and use a silver spoon to scoop rice and put into their mouths.

...use the chopsticks to pick up some rice from the bowl and then transport them into their mouths.

However, many (including myself) would eat rice out of a plate using spoon and fork.

Interestingly many foreigners use the Japanese way to eat rice in Chinese restaurants but hardly do they succeed and being teased by their Chinese friends!

Yeah...that happens to me...I can't use them well. Often not, the food ends up on the table.

[Quest]

However, many (including myself) would eat rice out of a plate using spoon and fork.

Couple years ago I went to this Malay restuarant with my friends, the restuarant served rice on plates and gave us chopsticks only :? I mean you would expect that they give you a spoon, but no, only chopsticks.

[skylee]

So did you pick up the rice grain by grain?

[Quest]

So did you pick up the rice grain by grain?

exactly, they probably overestimated our chopstick skills

[tara]

huehehue...

Quest: maybe next time use the chopsticks for taking veggies only and try eating with your right hand, well, actually the forefingers...the food shouldn't touch your palm....that's how malays eat.

[skylee]

I've heard that right hand for everything above the navel, left hand for those below it. Is this true?

[niubi]

i pick up my rice bowl, in the chinese fashion, however i eat much less rice then say 10 years ago when i was younger. at that time i would eat 2-3 bowls of rice with a meal. now i eat zero-1 bowl - i'd rather be eating the dishes.

[wushijiao]

Well, this is in fact interesting. I used to live in Henan, and very generally speaking, southern Henaners eat rice as a staple, while in the north they eat noodles. People whould always ask if I liked "rice or noodles", like it was an "either or" question.

[skylee]

In HK, it is rice or congee (some restaurants serve both not charging extra).

[skylee]

In HK, it is rice or congee (some restaurants serve both not charging extra).

[39degN]

oes any poster notice that until very recently most Northern Chinese hardly eat rice? Huai River is the demarcation line which Chinese south of this line have rice as their main staple while Chinese north of this line mainly relies on wheat, millet and barley as their main staple.

not true, in beijing and northeastern the main food is still rice, or rice and flour food half half, sure we didnt count the ones who have no food this time. but the rice we eating is not the kind like yours, the shape of grain is shorter than yours. personally i like our type.

First I think that Northern Chinese do not have rice as their main staple owing to the less favorable condition for rice cultivation.

But Jilin doesn't grow rice even though its soil is more fertile than that of Akita.

that's before, today even in heilongjiang has its own rice production by the local famers.

[39degN]

However, many (including myself) would eat rice out of a plate using spoon and fork.

Couple years ago I went to this Malay restuarant with my friends, the restuarant served rice on plates and gave us chopsticks only :? I mean you would expect that they give you a spoon, but no, only chopsticks.

seems the HK style restaurant is more considerate, in bejing, some of them always offer the chopsticks and spoons at same time!

[39degN]

So did you pick up the rice grain by grain?

exactly' date=' they probably overestimated our chopstick skills [/quote']

come on, are u chinese?

[Quest]

Yes I am, and? Can you eat rice on a plate with only a pair of chopsticks? Try it next time.

PS: I assumed you knew that you should leave the plate on the table.

[39degN]

why next time? i can just do it right now!