The Paan trail ….

In My travels for food Benares holds a very special place for its 24 hour "naashta" culture and for the reverence for Paan . The paan is a matter of great study and every aspect related to it is either a custom or a ceremony . I have to say after the cooks (Or In Benares even Before the cooks ) it's the Paanwalas that command the most respect and admiration . Like no two cooks can cook th esame dish exactly the same way no two Panwaaris will make th eexact same paan and people travel Miles for their Panwaari believing that he has the "Taste" in his hands. Distinctive varieties of betel leaf now grow , Notably Bangla , meetha , sanchi , kapoori , devasri and Ambari.

So lets look at the Paan through the lense of Indian History . The leaf of the Betel vine (Piper Betle) is usually chewed with the of the Areca nut (also mistaken to be the fruit of the same betel Vine and hence called Betel Nut sometimes). Its Recognised in Sanskrit as being a south Indian Practice (then called Malaya). Its earliest North Indian references are in the Buddhist Jataka Tales . However the world History is Much older proving again that the Paan and paan chewing is a migrated influence from Vietnamese Subcontinent .An old Vietnamese book "the life story of Tan and Lang " is dated 2000BC and mentions the Custom. Proving the practice to be common an extremely ancient in South east Asia .the Term "Betel" for leaf is said to have coined by the portugese and originates from the term "Vetthile" in Malayalam . However the astringent "Katha " usage in Paan is believed to be of Indigenous origin mentioned by Charaka and sushruta for its medicinal properties.

So much so for History … lets taste the leaf in a new form …

Tandoori Tofu Rolled In Betel Leaf With Plum Chutney

Ingredients

500 gms hard bean curd tofu (medium size cubes)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 tbsp Tandoori masala
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp kasoori methi powder
1 lime juice
A handful of chopped coriander leaves
A handful of chopped mint leaves

For the roll
1 thinly sliced onion
1 cup thinly shredded cabbage
1 tbsp chaat masala
30 betel leaves
1 tbsp oil
A handful of chopped coriander leaves
Juice of one lemon
6-7 wonton sheets

Method
Marinate tofu with all other ingredients and refrigerate for five to six hours. After marination heat a non stick pan, drizzle some olive oil and lace the soy skewer. Seal it from all four sides and then place this skewer on a deep baking tray. Add little water in the tray. Make sure it will not touch the tofu skewer. Bake at 250 degree celsius for 10 minutes. After it's done take out from the skewer gently and keep aside to cool down. Cut tandoori tofu in juliennes. In a mixing bowl mix gently with onion, cabbage, lime juice, chaat masala and coriander leaves. Meanwhile, pick the individual betel leaves and wash in cold water. Lay the leaves flat on a cloth to dry. To form the rolls, lay a large betel leaf (or two smaller leaves), shiny side down, on a board with the stem of the leaf pointing towards you. Spoon approximately one tablespoon of the tofu mixture onto the bottom edge of the leaf. Work it into a sausage shape, then roll the leaf from bottom to top and place the seam flat on your bench to stop the leaf unrolling. Repeat this process until you have used all of the tofu. The mixture should make about 20 rolls. Cook the parcels, seam first, on a char-grill or barbecue hotplate over medium heat, turning to colour all over, for about 5 minutes, or until done. Cut all parcels in cubes. Roll down into wonton sheet and steam for more three to four minutes into thesteamer.

For plum chutney;

Ingredients

500 gms plums/ Alubukharas (deseeded and, cut into quarters)
300 ml white wine vinegar
250 gms sugar
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 fresh red chillies
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp cumin powder

Method;

Put all the ingredients, except the sugar, into a large pan and stir well. Bring slowly to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until the plums are tender. Stir in the sugar plus two tsp salt and keep stirring until it has dissolved. Boil the chutney for 20-30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent it catching on the bottom, until it is thick and pulpy. Keep aside to cool down. Put into sterilised, airtight, jars. Will keep for up to two months in a cool dark place.