Paan Marsala, My Favorite Indian Confection

Paan, from the word pan in Hindi: पान, is an Indian and South East Asian tradition of chewing betel leaf (Piper betle) with areca nut and slaked lime paste. There are many regional and local variations.

Paan is chewed as a palate cleanser, a breath freshener, and for digestive purposes as well. It is offered to guests and visitors as a sign of hospitality (after meals at both personal and social occasions) and at the beginning of social events. It has a symbolic value at ceremonies and cultural events in India and southeast Asia. Paan makers may use mukhwas or tobacco in paan fillings. Most paan contains areca nuts as a filling. Other types include what is called sweet paan, where sugar, candied fruit and multi-colored, sweetened, candy-like fennel seeds are used.

This is what Wikipedia has to say about paan.  The paan I like is the paan marsala or sweet paan.  I had my first paan during a trip to India back in the spring of 2006.  My boss at the time took me to a pandori restaurant here in Bangalore.  At the end of the meal they served these strange triangular leaf packets they called paan.  I popped it in my mouth and ate the whole thing.  What a surprise that was.  I can't describe the sensations except to say there were many and it felt like I was eating sweet novicane.  It made my mouth tingle and it was literally layered with many flavors.  I loved it.  Later in that same trip my boss and I took all the Indian engineers to lunch in a restaurant district of Bangalore called "Church Street".  I have returned there many times since.

After our lunch one of the engineers came up to me and said, "I heard you like paan.  You want one?"
"Sure."
I followed him and about five others into the streets.  We booked down the main street, down a narrow side street, around a corner and popped out onto a very busy main street in front of a small stall.  A paan stall.  He bought us each one.  These were different but still good.  For a while anyway because this paan made me sick and I was sick, or rather uncomfortable, for about three days.

On the next two trips I avoided paans off the street.  They were served after dinner at the Taj hotel where we have stayed.  They were good but not as good as that first one.  Some would say that the first and newest experience with something that takes you by surprise can never be duplicated.  Maybe so but recently I have come close.

I think I have mentioned my new friend, Dr. Vish, whom I met in line at the FRRO when I was registering.  He called me one day shortly after and invited me to dinner.  We went to a local blue collar south Indian restaurant called Nagarjuna.  Great food.  We had a famous south Indian dish, Chili Chicken with Chicken Briani.  Good eats.  After dinner we left the restaurant and outside was a small paan stand.  Vish asked if I wanted a paan.  I recalled how sick I had been and said no.  He had one.  It looked good.  I was with a doctor for cryin' out loud.  I was suddenly back in that Tandori restaurant and the Church street memory was fading fast.  Ok.  I'll have one.  I did.  It was great.  Very close to that first experience.  I didn't get sick!

Since that time I have discovered a similar paan stand here in my neighborhood.  They are as good as the paans we had outside Nagarjuna.  Tonight, Dr Vish was over for dinner.  My housekeeper fixed Chili Chicken and Veg Briani.  It was great.  After dinner Dr. Vish and I walked up and had a paan.  The preparation involves so many ingredients; maybe twelve or more.  It is fascinating.  Tonight I took my camera along and recorded the preparation so I could share the images.

By the way, contrary to what the jar in foreground might suggest, there is no nazi influence applied to the Betel leaf.  I don't think Hitler every ate a paan and if he had the world might be a very different place.