The Basics

• Wash your hands first, you will only be using your right one (your left is for your bum)
• Next, clean your leaf using a little bit of water (Large green leaves are used instead of plates)
• Having a handkerchief is handy - in case you need to blow your nose, or dry your washed hand

Eating Out

Do not expect ‘friendly’ service. The servers are there to do just that, unless you go to a restaurant that caters to tourists/westerners - where you can expect to be paying at least 3 times the price of regular restaurants.
Usually you don’t have too much selection, so just order the ‘meal’ - whatever it happens to be. In the morning it’s usually idly (rice patties) with different sauces, including sambar (a spicy tomatoey-onion broth), or curd (buttermilk/yoghurt - good for upset tummies). If you see these little doughnuts kickin’ around definitely try them (I think they’re called vadai).
Whenever possible order masala dosas. Dosas are the rice flour equivalent of a crepe (or of a really flat omelette, depending on the chef). Masala means mix, and refers to the stuffing inside which is usually some potatoey goodness. Always yummy!

*Before going to India I thought that I knew what Indian food was like because I ate at Indian restaurants in Canada quite often. What I was actually eating in the restaurants was Punjabi food. I was really looking forward to having palak panner (my favourite combo of spinach cooked with cheese cubes), but have not found it anywhere the last few weeks. It was a good reminder to leave my expectations at home, and to keep an open mind and palette.

Eating In People’s Homes

If you are blessed to be invited to someones home to eat - do not refuse. It will almost always be better than food served at a restaurant.
Remember that your eating strategy will not be the same as when you’re home, where you have some control.
My old pattern was to save the best thing on my plate till last. This is not a good strategy in this case. Every time you finish anything on your plate it will be replenished, even when you have not run out you will be served more. Protesting is useless. So if you like something - eat it up right away. You may be lucky enough to have 5 more servings!
The real key is - Eat Slowly. Gage how fast those are eating around you. If you finish first you will be served more - whether you want more or not. And, if you’re like me you hate leaving food on your plate.
So far - I think I’ve managed to pick up the Tamil word for ‘enough’ but I’m not sure - try ’podo-oom’ with an inflection at the end. It may work. Good luck (you’ll need it)!. So far I have eaten the last six meals at home with an Indian family and I still find that I eat more than I should. It’s good food, and I know that it is a blessing in a place where others do not have enough.

Eating At A Wedding

My advice: Eat fast or Don’t eat (I may have gotten my case of diarrhea from wedding food - but can’t say for sure)

Within 3 days of being in India I was attending an Indian wedding reception (Did I mention that the people are amazing?! They are.)
Having to feed a thousand people is no small feat. Needless to say, you’re herded into the eating area, and are seated on benches at long tables, and the servers come around (only once) until you have about a dozen different food items on your leaf. Eat fast (watch others in your row) because they’ll be out of there as soon as they can be, and you will be shuffled along whether you’ve finished or not. I would say that eating dessert first is a good idea!

Drinking

If you’re having a hard time with your stomach, skip mango drinks. They produce heat, instead of cooling you down - try buttermilk instead.

You’ll find coffee just about everywhere, and I suspect much of the coffee is instant. You can’t really tell after they add heaps of steamed milk and sugar.
It will arrive piping hot and served in two pieces; a metal cup full to the rim sitting in a bowl/saucer below which contains the rest of your coffee. Typically you pour the coffee back and forth from cup to bowl to cool the liquid down, and then you drink. It’s yummy but doesn’t give you the same kick-start as coffee back home, so it may be a good place to drop your caffeine fix.

Many places have filtered water, but it’s better to bring along a UV water sterilizer (steripen). It decreases your chance of getting sick and cuts down on the waste of plastic bottles (which are not recycled).

I haven’t seen too many lassis (yoghurt drinks) - maybe they’re more common in the north?

I’ve really only been here for two weeks and am still just learning about this culture.  I’m here for 3 more, and so welcome any tips you want to share!

Namasté