Eating out of the palm of your hands

THE tradition of hand washing before meals dates back thousands of years. Before the first century, in the Middle East, it was considered ritually unclean for a person to eat before washing his hands. 

Malays traditionally eat with their hands. In more homely settings, there is usually a basin with a pitcher of fresh water and lemon to cleanse their hands before eating with the tips of their fingers, and for after the meal to wash off the residual food.