Use Your Hands at the Kamayan Table

Filipino culinary tradition is about more than specific dishes. Eating with your hands is another facet of the culture.

“All cultures ate with their hands before utensils came along, but Filipinos still practice the tradition,” says Jennifer Villamin, owner of San Francisco’s Pampalasa. “Kamayan is a centuries-old traditional way of eating and is not limited to dinner and is not a special event.”

Kamayan, which means “with your hands,” involves...