Miscellaneous Equipment

Chopsticks: Called hashi in Japanese, they are used for eating and food preparation. Once you become accustomed to the necessary finger movements, I think you’ll agree that they are the two most useful sticks of wood you have ever handled. Here is the basic hold. The top stick is the one to be manipulated up and down with thumb and forefinger; the other stays put.

For eating, there are plain tapered wood and lacquered-wood chopsticks and disposable wooden ones in paper sheaths called wari-bashi (most of these need to be pulled apart). There are small ones for children, but most adult chopsticks measure nearly 9 inches. The long (14–16-inch) plain wooden chopsticks are meant for cooking, and for deep frying you should use the longest you can comfortably handle. Most of these cooking chopsticks are tied together at the base (thicker end) to facilitate handling, but if you find it more difficult this way just cut the string.