Betal Nuts?

[TenTigers]

Has anyone tried Bing-Lang/betal nuts? I have heard people chew them and it is a mild euphoric. The first time I heard of them was when reading,"Iron and Silk."

[Phil Redmond]

Has anyone tried Bing-Lang/betal nuts? I have heard people chew them and it is a mild euphoric. The first time I heard of them was when reading,"Iron and Silk."

OMG, you brought back some memories. I remember 1966. My first tour in 'Nam. I saw these really pretty Vietnamese girls. Then they smiled. Their teeth were reddish brown from the betalnut. The older women's teeth were almost black.

[yu shan]

One of my dream vacations is to tour all of the betal nut stands in Taiwan.

[TenTigers]

yeah, I'd heard it makes your teeth black. Then again, they don't have the greatest dental hygiene in those parts either.

[GeneChing]

... it reminded me a lot of tobacco. A mild stimulant with digestive properties. You chew and spit, like chaw. Nasty really. Remember that train station in Slumdog Millionaire? I've been there. In every corner, the walls are stained blood red with betel spit.

I'm moving this to the TCM forum, just because it's slow down here. Maybe someone can post some links to Taiwanese betel girls. In India, the betal-wallahs are all old guys...

Here's a start.

[yu shan]

So it sounds like you guys have never seen a betal nut girl. Gene, trust me, the betal nut girls in Taiwan are hot as heill.

[Oso]

lol, yu shan, ever since you told me about this aspect of the visit to Tianan, I've had a hard time deciding which was more enticing: training with Shiye, or the Betal Nut Girls

so, does anyone know what exactly it is about the betal nuts that's got the kick?

and, Gene, I still don't get my emails about threads i've posted or subscribed too...I'll pm you on the morrow about it...or tell me who to check with. tia.

[TenTigers]

"In India, the betal-wallahs are all old guys..."

do they still wear the cute little outfits with the short shorts?

[AJM]

OMG, you brought back some memories. I remember 1966. My first tour in 'Nam. I saw these really pretty Vietnamese girls. Then they smiled. Their teeth were reddish brown from the betalnut. The older women's teeth were almost black.

And their breath smelled like satans bum.

[taai gihk yahn]

I thought this was a thread about Michael Keaton's gonads...

[uki]

I thought this was a thread about Michael Keaton's gonads...

that would be beteljuice.

[Vajramusti]

The betel nut istelf is not that tasty. They are called "supuri"(Bengali) or "supari" (Hindi)in eastern India.
Chewing results ina brownish juice. But when betel nut , a white edible lime paste(chun or choon)
and some other stuff is wrapped ina betel leaf- then it becomes "pan"-the juice is red.
There are poor people's versions and not so poor peoples versions- depending on the quality of the nut, the leaf and the ingredients. Often used after a meal

jo chaudhuri

[TenTigers]

ok, so what does it taste like, and what are the effects of chewing it?

[Vajramusti]

Plain betel nuts: taste "dull"- mildly helps digestion- mildly stimulating.

When mixed with other things (in India) can taste a bit sweet.

When mixed with other things and wrapped in betel leaves(pan)-can taste a little sweet-too much can be addictive-because the combination can have a nicotine content. The leaf mixture can be made to look attractive by being wrapped in thin silver paper.

joy chaudhuri

[GeneChing]

...while betal isn't served by hot chicks in skimpy outfits in India, a betal-wallah will serve it up to your taste by mixing a range of different fresh spices in a chutney-like blend, hand-wrapped in a leaf to form a sort of skoal-bandit-like pouch. Very tasty. I didn't know what the hell I was doing at first. The betel-wallahs work from these newspaper-stand-like sheds. I went up to one, quite clueless, and the wallah listened to my tastes, asked several questions, and then patiently explained everything he was doing. That's one of the great things about India - fantastic person-to-person customer service. I tried betel several times in India, and a few times in Indonesia, but ultimately, it didn't do that much for me, so I didn't pursue it much ****her. I'm not into nicotine-like substances, or I'd be into nicotine. It's readily available here. Our city has a huge Indian population.