|
At the end of most
Indian meals a mouth freshener called' pan' is served. Pan consists
of a dark green betel leaf smeared with a lime or crushed
rose petal paste wrapped around crushed betel nut and a variety of
spices such as cloves, aniseed and cardamom, as well as grated
coconut. For special occasions a coating of silver leaf is added.
Most of the spices used
in Indian cooking were chosen originally for their medicinal value.
Many of them such as cloves and cardamoms are very antiseptic,
others like ginger, are carminative and good for the digestion.
Turmeric is splendid against skin diseases, bruises and leach bites;
neem leaves, are also medicinal while singers chew tamarind leaves
to sweeten their voices.
|
