[Hyderabadi]

Some Paan paraphernalia:

Betel Nut Cutter:


Paandaan:


More images at: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/p...paan/paan.html

[NeeliAankhen]

In New York you can get paan at an Indian video store on the west side of Lexington Avenue between 28th and 29th Streets.

The shop is called Sangeet House and it's one short flight up over an Indian Fast Food shop. There is usually a signboard with a picture of a leaf on it outside the shop when it's open.

It's open from around noon to around 11 or 12 at night. It does a big paan business, for what that's worth.

[Rothrock]

Been there and it is definitely the place I go when I'm in Manhattan. The guy is really nice and does make a tasty paan, plus you can pick up a video or CD!

A meet-up or two ago I took the gang over there and I think it made somebody sick. I had two and was just fine.

But the guy next to Dimple in Jackson Heights is still my favorite.

Oh I miss my paan…

[robotvoice]

I still miss Gutka

[Gardener972]

Yes, Dallas does have Paan. I've only seen it in Taj Mahal Grocery in Richardson. It wasn't as good or fresh as what I got in Delhi though.

[Gardener972]

Just curious about paan. What exactly is it? I had the sweet paan and noticed a bit of a buzz after eating it. I've tried to find out about it on the internet and the best I can find out is it's a breath sweetner as well as like tobacco. It sounds like it's addictive. What's addictive, the betel leaf or the ingredients? Tell me about it.

[Rothrock]

Paan is a combination of things. I'm guessing you know what tobacco is? It is often included in paan, but is not necessary. I don't every have it in mine. (If you don't know wha tobacco is, where exactly is that rock you are living under?)

The other main ingredients are areca nut/supari (the fruit/nut of a palm tree), paan leaf (the leaf of a creeping vine in the piper familY), quicklime/chuuna (a reactive mineral), and kattha (the processed bark of a tree).

Many other things can be added including spices, coconut, silver foil, and on and on.

There are active chemicals in the areca nut and like any other biologic product the quantity can vary from plant to plant, season to season, etc. These chemicals aren't available to the human system without the addition of the chunna and kattha – either that or they make them more available.

I can't remember the exact role the leaf plays in the reaction.

I've never found the effects to be much more than an equivalent cup of herbal tea.

There is also talk of it being addictive. I think the most addictive part of paan is the tobacco, but if you don't take that then you won't have to worry about it. I've gone months without paan, but nary a day without coffee. That has always kind of put that in perspective for me. There are other health risks that have been associated with heavy paan use.

At least that is more or less my understanding of it. There are also religious over tones, social aspects, and much more that I as an gora can only guess at.

[lonelyaztec]

Please avoid going to Indian Restaurants in the US. They are no where close to what you can get in India.

It is just waste of money.

A good thing to do will be Get a book of Indian cuisine, buy the ingredients in a Indian Supermarket and try making food at home. I am sure, the taste will improve, every time you try.

[Amyth]

Originally Posted by Gardener972

Just curious about paan. What exactly is it? I had the sweet paan and noticed a bit of a buzz after eating it. I've tried to find out about it on the internet and the best I can find out is it's a breath sweetener as well as like tobacco. It sounds like it's addictive. What's addictive, the betel leaf or the ingredients? Tell me about it.

In addition to Rothrock's description, Paan leaf (Betel leaf - pepper betle, a creeper) also has diuretic properties. I read somewhere that one school of ayurveda recommends use of betel leaf in aches and pains, especially nervous in origin. It is also believed to have analgesic and cooling properties... but of course, sans the deadly assemblage inside. But a few ingredients inside, I think, are good for health - like Saunf (aniseed) has digestive properties, and I have my doubts, if you have heard about the Gulukand, which goes abundantly in the Meetha (sweet) paan, to make it sweet. Gulukand is a preserve of Rose petals in sugar syrup and is claimed to be an excellent curative agent for constipation and body heat, even kids can have it. I love it too ...in my paan and lots of it!!

Paan is also offered to the guests after meals as a symbol of respect and hospitality.

Paan leaf is also offered to God in India during puja ceremonies.

At home, after any Puja, on a stomach full I just wrap some sweet betel nut powder, sugar, and raw coconut in a betel leaf and voila...home made paan ready!

[machadinha]

Originally Posted by lonelyaztec

Please avoid going to Indian Restaurants in the US. They are no where close to what you can get in India.

I'd be surprised if there weren't a decent place or two to be found. There's quite some Little India's out there.

On paan, try also http://www.erowid.org/plants/betel/ .

[ranjan154]

Originally Posted by Hyderabadi

Some Paan paraphernalia:

Nice historical equipments.

[SitaParityaga]

Originally Posted by lonelyaztec

Please avoid going to Indian Restaurants in the US. They are no where close to what you can get in India.

A good thing to do will be Get a book of Indian cuisine, buy the ingredients in a Indian Supermarket and try making food at home. I am sure, the taste will improve, every time you try.

LA: I read an article about why the Indian food is so bad in my area, San Francisco.
Lots of business people opening up restaurants, with no family history or connections to people in the restaurant business in India. Charging outrageous prices for frozen peas and carrots in a packaged curry sauce. Food dye red "tandoori" chicken. Never a fresh vegetable, never anything freshly made...no wonder folks around here aren't as eager to go to Indian places to eat out. Everyone I know fom San Francisco says the UK Indian restaurants makes ours' look pitiful.

Good Indian cooking is not easy, the same as it is everywhere, I suppose. There's a reason why grandma cooks the best: years of experience. I have been searching for the perfect sambhar recipe for years I will drive an hour away, with other true Indian foodies, to a place in Silicon Valley to get my sambhar. And yes, the restaurant people look at me like I'm nuts when I ask to take out quarts of sambhar.

Originally Posted by Travinfoindia

Nice historical equipments.

Those "historical" betel nut crackers are going for big $ on Ebay these days, as well as those old "lime" containers

Hey Rothrock! I think you need to open your own paan shop in NYC, including artistic paan boxes! You have real talent there! Do it before everyone else gets the idea. Just think, 50 years from now...everyone will want to go to the original paan shop!

If its fun, makes you look sexy, addictive and dangerous...it will be a sure winner. Hey, everything in moderation!

[Rothrock]

Thanks SitaParityaga. In New York there would be too much competition – and in Portland (Oregon) where I now life not enough clientele. I do miss having fresh paan just down the street.

I have thought of making a "brand" for my imaginary paan. It would be called "Big Boy Brand" and I've designed a few t-shirts. Like the one below, it says, "kuch taazaa apne mu#h me# daalo" – "Pop some fresh in your mouth."

[Rothrock]

Or this one which says "sahelii ne baataayaa mujhe to kya maaluum" - "girlfriend told me, how would I (emphasis on the I) know."

[SitaParityaga]

Great t-shirt designs...I like both of them. Let us all know when they're ready to go at Cafe Press!!

Not enough clientele in Portland?

I've never really looked for paan indredients in the Bay area either...likely we're just like Portland!