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Flower Markets in Kolkata - Paan (Beetel Leaf)

  • s3518418
  • Oct 14, 2014
  • 3 min read

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Traveler's luck.

Now I’m in Kolkata but I’m alone - again, and everything here reminds me of that feeling of loneliness. Weirdly though, I’m not as scared or nervous as I was at the beginning of this trip. I have been travelling for about 4 months now and I think I’m a much more confident person. I can take care of myself and in this place - you need to. There are people everywhere waiting to scam you or shout at you. My God I was spoken to in the most horrible way today by the rudest taxi driver. In the beginning he was very polite and friendly but then he turned into a monster and demanded that I pay him 5 times the amount we agreed upon. He drove like a maniac, bumping into every second car trying to move them forward. Why people are so impatient here I don’t know, but it’s unsettling for me. I couldn’t wait to get away from him after he dropped me at New Market.

This place is crowded and there’s literally no room to move yet people still insist on driving their cars and bikes through the thousands of people. I bought some shoes here because I’m heading into the mountains where I plan to go trekking. After a few hours of wandering around aimlessly, I took a tram to the house of Mother Teresa and the South Park Street Cemetery - such beautiful places of solitude and peace. It was here I was able to really relax and unwind but I wouldn’t want to come here after dark because the place is so eerie.

After 3 days of being here, what I’ve enjoyed the most is the street food. It is amazing. You can practically get anything and everything right here on the streets. The best is of course the famous Paan which are betel leaves wrapped around spices. I took time to relax and unwind in my fancy hotel room which overlooks the city. This is the first place where I’ve been able to think and contemplate all that I’ve done and all that I’ve been through and how this experience has changed me. I actually think I’m happy for the first time in my life and next year I want to open up my own restaurant in Delhi, inviting travellers to come and share a meal, and their stories with each other. I’m sure you don’t need a beach or a mountain to do that, just like-minded people.

It’s going to be a recipe of Paan for Kolkata. I’ve added Fennel to my paan, to add force to my dreams so that they can come true and of course traveler's luck.

Paan

Ingredients

  • 4 tsp small fennel seeds (saunf)

  • 2 tsp betel nut slivers

  • 2 tsp coloured sugar coated

  • 1/4 tsp cardamoms powder

  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg (jaiphal) powder

  • 1/4 tsp cloves (laung / lavang) powder

  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon (dalchini) powder

  • 1 tsp grated dry coconut (kopra)

  • 2 tsp tutti fruity

  • 1/4 tsp menthol powder

  • 1/4 tsp camphor powder

  • 2 tsp gulkhand

  • toothpicks as required

  • 8 beetle leaves (paan)

  • 1/2 tsp slaked lime

Method

  • Wash the betel leaves and wipe them

  • Apply pinch of slaked lime on the wiped betel leaves and keep aside.

  • Put 2 leaves one over the other and place 1 tsp of the mixture of all the ingredients.

  • Fold to a triangle and seal with a toothpick and repeat for making 3 more paans and serve after a heavy meal.


 
 
 

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