Chuna (Edible Lime)
葉っぱに塗る白いペースト！インドの食後を締めくくるケミカルな刺激
Description
White calcium hydroxide paste. Smeared thinly inside 'Paan (betel leaf wrap)' chewed post-meal, reacting chemically with leaf components, playing the role of dyeing the mouth bright red.
Classification: For Bizarre Food Lovers/Maniacs,Minerals,For Chewing Tobacco
Shops selling Chuna (Edible Lime)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The How to use section below is a general reference, not instructions from the listed shops.
How to use
Ingredients
- Calcium hydroxide(Slaked lime)
Instructions
- When making post-meal breath freshener 'Paan', thinly smear a tiny match-head amount of Chuna (edible lime) with a finger on the surface of a betel leaf.
- Place catechu (boiled sap), cardamom, fennel, rose petal jam (Gulkand) etc. on top.
- Wrap leaf into a triangle, toss in mouth, chew continuously; the lime's alkaline components react, dyeing saliva vibrant blood-red.
Learn more Substitutes, pairings, tips
Key spices
None
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
None (Irreplaceable as a special component to trigger chemical reaction)
Pairing
Paan (Betel leaf wrap)
Trivia
[Hardcore] A 'chemical substance for luxury goods' rather than 'cooking ingredient'. Absolutely inedible alone, but indispensable when discussing Indian street culture (Paan stalls). Lime's alkalinity breaks down betel leaf components, forcibly triggering light stimulant and digestion-promoting effects.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Usage] With the mouth dyed bright red, spit 'Ptui!' the red saliva onto the street along with Paan's refreshing spice aroma (*the true identity of red stains common on Indian streets).
Allergen
None