After a satisfying meal, a paan is must in many Indian households even today. Though paan stalls are common around in any art of India, making a paan at home is one of the fun filled affair, with ladies of household coming together and making the special paan for their better half!
Today I share the little secrets of making meetha paan that is also a very good for digestion and a great mouth freshener. The betel leaves I have used are from my MIL's kitchen garden. Betel leaves are also easily available in market.
Ingredients:
1. 8-10 betel leaves (as much paan you want to make. Also I have used 2 per meetha paaan as these were small in size)
2. 4 tbsp Gulkand
3. 2 tbsp saunf (fennel seeds)
4. 1 tbsp ajawain (carom) seeds
5. 2 tbsp meethi supari powder (Mix 2 tbsp saunf, 1 tbsp ajawain and 2 tbsp Jeshthamadh/Mulethi/Yestimadhu powder ground together. Though called supari, it does not really have the supari/betel nuts in it. This mix can also be taken as mouth freshener after meal )
6. 8-10 Cardamon
7. 8-10 cloves
8. 2 tbsp dry coconut powder
9. 1/2 tbsp edible lime/chuna
10. 1/2 tbsp kattha/catechu
11. Tuti-fruti and cherry (optional, I have not used)
Preparation:
1. Wash and clean betel leaves and arrange each leaf separated and places upside down, with darker green part facing down. Remove stems if hard.
2. Apply very little chuna and kattha on the betel leafs. Be careful to use very less of both chuna and kattha and if more it may lead to mouth ulcers.
3. Now add a little of each Gulkand, saunf, ajwain, meethi supari powder, cardamon, cocomut powder, tuti-fruti if using, on each paan
4. Carefully make a cone shape by folding both the sides of the paan and cover it from top by folding the top potion. Place a clove carefully tuck inside to close the paan. You can also add a cherry with help of toothpick on each paan.
Your homemade meetha paan is ready to be consumed!
These seem to be really delicious and good to eat. I would like to know if these are healthy and would it attract kids below 12?
ReplyDeleteBetel leaves and all other ingredients used in making this are healthy and mainly good for digestion. In India traditionally paan consumed after heavy meals for its digestive properties. However paan is not suitable for young children as chewing same may cause mouth ulcer in children. Hope this helps! Keep visiting
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