[Sca-cooks] betel

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

I was thinking about Mari's request for betel. And i began to wonder,
just as i wondered about other lines in the atraf al-tib ingredients
list:

rose hips -or- rose petals?

common ash leaves -or- prickly ash leaves (aka shansho which are used
as a seasoning) -or- ash berries (aka szechuan pepper / andaliman)?

betel nut -or- betel leaf -or- both?

There are two kinds of plant ingredients called betel and both are
generally used together. But which did the author of the list of
ingredients for atraf al-tib mean?

The betel nut is the seed of the areca palm (areca catechu), which
grows in India, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. It is
amazingly hard and quite the stimulant. Where betel is common, folks
usually have a container for the ingredients and tools for its use.
Some are quite decorative. You see, betel nut is never taken alone.

It is cracked into small pieces and NOT chewed (you'd break your
teeth). It is usually wrapped in an herb called betel leaf which
grows on a vine in the pepper family (piper betel). It too contains
stimulants.

To get the hard nut to soften and release its stimulating alkaloids,
the cracked betel nut is wrapped in the betel leaf along with a bit
of lime - that is that calcium stuff, not the fruit - and sometimes
some spices or seasonings, such as anise seed.

Then you stick the wad between "cheek and gum" and sort of suck on
it. Gradually a red-brown liquid will come out. Actually the stuff
stimulates your salivary glands and you produce copiously. So when i
was "chewing" some in North Sumatra, my Batak in-laws had a can we
women would pass around and spit into. And you have to take care not
to put in too much lime, as it will remove the enamel from your
teeth. And yes, habitual use of betel will turn your teeth dark
red-brown.

So, back to the start of this message: does the recipe want the nut?
the leaf? both? lime in addition?

There's a preparation sold in Indian markets called "pan" or "pan
masala" which is a mixture of ground up betel nut, betel leaf, lime,
and some flavoring. Because of the flavoring it wouldn't be suitable
for atraf al-tib. But i'll see if i can find some that isn't
flavored...

With questions and no answers,

Anahita