This is so cute — a non-desi journalist tries paan for the first time, with all the variness of a wegetarian trying a Chicken McNugget.
A rush of unfamiliar flavors flooded my tongue. After a few moments, I got nervous and spit it into my napkin. While I hoped that I wouldn’t later be punished by days in my hotel bathroom, part of me regretted the fact that I hadn’t had the full paan experience… “What’s its appeal?” I asked. He looked at me as if I were crazy, like I was asking him why people liked chocolate. “It’s good. Everybody likes it…”
The first taste was one of overwhelming sweetness–from the rose syrup–and then I got a tang of menthol. The contents were crunchy, and the rose petal scent was strong. As I continued to chew and as the sweetness subsided, I began to taste the licorice flavor of the fennel and the warm spiciness of the cardamom…
It was strange and jarring, kind of how I remember very dark chocolate or Marmite tasting when I was a kid. But it wasn’t just the taste, it was also the mix of unusual textures–the feeling of chewing some mulch, twigs and gooey gel wrapped up in a leaf… [Link]
You can’t really use a clichéd food metaphor when you’re already reviewing food, but you just know this tai-pan has a plan B:
… it woke up my tired nose and jaded taste buds, like a walk through a crowded market in India… [Link]
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p>The subtitle is ‘The new hot treat from India.’ This paandemic is new, didn’tcha know?
As long as red-orange stains don’t appear on pavements and walls all over New York, it’s all good. I don’t think non-South-Asian Americans need to adopt that particular paan-related desi habit 😉
well, i think it’s OBVIOUS where the next meetup should be. 😉
Yechh! Eeeks! That’s one desi habit that shouldn’t ever make it to these shores! Sure beetlejuice and dipping snuff is common in parts of the South right? Paan even in moderation is terrible for the teeth, mouth and everything else in the oral cavity. The mitha paan (sweet stuff) is bad enough; the zarda paan is pure poison – as for guthka, khaini etc; that’s the absolute deep end. The zarda paan is a three component system to get the nicotine from the zarda (‘baccy) into your blood vessels. The supari (areca nut) helps grind the tobacco as you chew it; the chuna (or lime) breaks down your epithelial helping to expose the capillaries; the kattha (tree bark paste) moderates the reaction. All three kill the skin cells on the surface and the dead tissue builds up into a rough mass (doctors time to explain). That’s enough for today.
I wonder what the ultimate onscreen paan connoisseur will have to say about that. (alright, so that was stupid 🙂 but I’d love to see what the Mutineers can do with Bombay TV)
Tooting has three paan centres. Paanalicious. Paantastic. It’s an extravapaanza.
I think Govinda or Amitabh or something opened one. Or maybe he opened the ORIGINAL Anand Pan Centre in Wembley and they reproduced the picture, those sneaky fellas. Anyhoo, paan has ascended to an artform in this competitive paan-and-dagger world of good paan and bad puns.
In the summer they serve ice-paan. They have candy paan, pink paan, spicy paan, personalised paan etc etc. I don’t even know the full range as I’m no paannoisseur.
Shiva, Its only the tobacco-laden Paan which is the source of all evil. Back home , no social gathering which involved a meal was complete if you did nt have a Paan at the end of it. There is a whole range of Paans which are available and the Maghai jodi masala is probably the best I have eaten……
Bong, Have you heard of the Palang-tod paan? ( Hint: exploits the so-called Aphrodisiac property of the said leaf)
let’s all meet at paanera 😉
White girl sees paan. White girl puts paan in mouth. White girl is excited. White girl wants to write about the experience.
oh shiva darling….shush! paan is one of the forbidden pleasures i forgive myself of which roots back to our origins. there are numerous things that cause cancer/diseases/etc. what’s a little harm in paan…it’s wonderfully tempting with all its ingredients and bursts of flavours on the tongue…not to mention gulkand (sp?) made of roses….ahhh…heaven! even if you are partial to destruction perhaps you can appreciate that some of us enjoy and bask in our earthly delights, no matter how brief they may be. 😉 live life to its fullest and love it for the time until your next. memories, especially of our homelands, are still sweet in all their fervor.
WesternGhaats, I have not heard of that particular paan-treat. I normally rely on Rohypnol, but hell if I can find an organic alternative that’s even better.
Bong Breaker,
Speaking of paan, did you get the reference to yourself in my final 55 from last Friday’s thread ?
its paanacea you fools