Paan Shops

Hyderabadi

Another version, the redder the paan makes your mouth, the more you will like your wife.

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Hyderabadi

One has heard about but never tried the 'Palang-Thod' paan.

cyberhippie

Ha 'Palang-Thod' the "oyster" of paan!!

Hyderabadi

A particular paan shop in the Abids area in Hyderabad was rumored to specialize in this....material for many a high-school and college discussion over chai-biskit, Capstan cigarette (shared) and paan later...

wvansant

I stayed with a Swami on a small ashram deep in the Narmada Valley for two months. Every evening after dinner we would eat a paan together. The leaf is supposed to be good for digestion. I must say I began to really enjoy the ritual. Paan is an amazing "only in India" invention. The degree of variations and amount of ingrediants seems infinate. The paan we ate at the ashram was quite simple just a leaf and few seeds, lime, and some sweat ingrediants, no beetle nut or tobacco. When in India I enjoy eating one after a meal and then relax and watch life go by.

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wvansant

somnath

It was discussed in different threads in Indiamike but for those who are new plz visit this thread: paan: the strangest thing I have ever eaten (interesting).

http://www.mid-day.com/metro/chembur...mber/98368.htm - some famous paan / paanwalas. If you are interested to listen some stories regarding Calcutta meetha paan or Calcutta Navratna Paan, plz read this one.

Paan is not a just a thing like chewing gum. It is a tradition that was a part of royal luxury since long. Paan and the ingredients were the reflection of wealth and prestige for maharajas and Nawabs. Due to the availability of good leafs (very complicated chemistry of soil, sun, water and experience) and other ingredients and presence of sophisticated and stylish Kings / Nawabs Calcutta – Lucknow – Varanasi became the birthplace of this art. If you visit Ramnagar Palce (Varanasi), Indian Museum (Kolkata), Nijam’s museum (Hyderabad) you will find a unique item in the museums – ‘Thukdaan’ / ‘Peekdani’. This is a gorgeous bowl made from silver / gold with magnificent crafts to spit.

Even today, if you visit northeast you will find that one paan leaf and a Beatlenut are offered to the guest of honor. Even if you don’t like paan, plz don’t deny accepting that, else, it will be an insult.

And there are songs on Paan – Enjoy……..
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/d/...e&p 1755=true

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Hippie at Heart

The symbolic act of having a pair of paan on own accord (not offered) whilst muttering a vow is a pledge no gentlemen can ever turn his back on.

freenote

A Betel nut . (Beatlenut / beetle nut / arece nut )

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Nick-H

I don't feel like googling this one out again ---but the last time I did (and posted about it somewhere here) I'm pretty sure I found that Betel (areca nut) is carcinogenic and the leaf mildly so. Maybe problems with the lime (mineral, not fruit!) paste used to 'activate' the stuff too.

But what happened when I tried the stuff? I got weird tight-chest pains and breathlessness that I found a touch scary and not at all pleasant.

The 'manufactured' stuff ie gutka (sp?)has got all kinds of stuff in it, much of it not nice at all . Maharashtra state govt has been trying to ban it for years (what's the current status on that, anyone?)

freenote

Horrible stuff ,left me with a mouth feeling like an ashtray!!!!

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proxyindian

We live just two miles (easy walking distance) to a desi neighborhood here in Chicago. Devon Avenue! There are paan shops in some of the music stores. I'd like to try some but I don't know what to do about the spitting. Sure, I see orange blotches and stains on the ground, but is that really the right thing to do? Should I carry a little cup and spit into it?

Rothrock

Personally, I don't spit in general. I never learned how as a young boy. If you don't have tobacco in your paan you should be fine. (tombaku nahi rakiye.)

Of course, when in Rome...or in this case when on Devon Ave! Culturally I think the spitting is part of the fun for many folks.

If I was in Chicago I'd be happy to go with you. And if you ever come to New York...

A lot of the music stores here have pre-made meetha paans wrapped in aluminum foil. Personally I like to have a fresh one. (taazaa paan banaiye) Then depending upon how "full service" the place is you can get very specific or not.

Personally I started with meetha paan, but now like saada paan. I have it with khushbu, but my friend from Pakistan doesn't like that. The meetha paan's can get quite large with the gulkhand and all. That can make it difficult to eat so you might want to suggest they make a chhota paan.

The beetle nut (supari) is really, really hard. So if they have the kind soaking in water (geeley supari) you should probably go for that. If they don't look for the smallest shaved or thin sliced bits.

Careful with the khushbu. It is very tastey, but very strong. Too much and you might as well eat a jar of Vics-Vapo-Rub with a spoon.

My friend from UP will open up a large meetha paan and pick through and pull out little bits she likes to eat. But I generally put the whole thing in my mouth at once.

Be sure to get a napkin! That way if you start to drool you are covered. (And if you have to spit it out, well you know.)

amyl

hey try "magai" paan .. its kinda a very soft and gentle in texture.. i love it.

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Nick-H

Do you smoke? If not, when you see someone smoking do you think, "I'd love to try that!"?

Paan is just another addictive unhealthy drug.

I'm not taking a moral stance on this, unless you spit on my foot you're welcome to chew Paan near me, it won't affect me like it would if you smoked in my house.

I'm saying.... check out the health risks first. Cancer of the throat/mouth is not nice.