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How to Use Betel Leaves in the Kitchen
Betel leaves are widely appreciated in India for their distinct taste and refreshing aroma.
In Ayurveda, they are primarily used as a post-meal mouth freshener and to aid digestion.
Recipes incorporating betel leaves can help stimulate appetite and support digestive health.
Betel leaves add a delightful flavour to savoury dishes while enhancing digestion in sweet preparations.
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Recipes:
Betel Leaves Rasam (Thin Soup):
| Ingredients: |
| Betel leaves chopped |
5-6 |
| Oil |
1 t.spoon |
| Cumin seeds |
¼ t.spoon |
| Turmeric |
¼ t.spoon |
| Salt |
As per taste |
| Tomato chopped |
1 cup |
| Water |
3 cup |
| Jaggery (for less spicy) |
1 t.spoon |
| Tamarind paste |
1 t.spoon |
| Curry leaves |
½ t.spoon |
| Recipe: |
| Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. |
| Add cumin seeds and curry leaves, and saute until fragrant. |
| Stir in the tomato and tamarind paste, cooking for 2-3 minutes. |
| Next, add betel leaves and salt, and cook on medium heat. |
| Pour in water and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes. |
| Serve hot with rice, upma, or pulao. |
| This dish is a nutritious choice for winter and monsoon, offering warmth and a flavorful kick. It's also a healthy meal option for adults for lunch or dinner. |
Betel Leaves-Sesame Seeds Refresher:
| Ingredients: |
| Betel leaves |
1 cup |
| Sesame seeds |
½ cup |
| Fennel seeds |
½ cup |
| Rock sugar coarse powder |
½ cup |
| Salt |
As per taste |
| Rose petals |
1 cup |
| Betel nut thin slices/ powder |
¼ cup |
| Recipe: |
| Place rose petals and betel leaves on a broad vessel and shade-dry them for 10-15 days. |
| In a heavy-bottomed pan, dry roast fennel seeds until they become aromatic and light in weight, then transfer them to a separate tray. |
| In the same pan, add sesame seeds and a teaspoon of salt. Roast for 5-6 minutes until the sesame seeds start popping, then transfer them to another tray and sieve out the salt. |
| Combine the roasted fennel seeds, sesame seeds, dried betel leaves, rose petals, thin slices or powder of betel nut, rock sugar powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and store in an airtight container. |
| For serving, add some fresh betel leaves and rose petals. Serve after meals |
| This natural and healthy mouth freshener aids digestion, refreshes the breath, calms the mind, and boosts appetite, making it an ideal post-meal digestive. |
Kokum and Betel Leaf Chutney - (A Healthy Digestive Dip):
| Ingredients: |
| Betel leaves |
½ cup |
| Chickpea lentils |
½ cup |
| Kokum |
½ cup |
| Salt |
½ t.spoon or as per taste |
| Jaggery |
½ t.spoon |
| Red chilli powder |
¼ t.spoon |
| Coriander powder |
½ t.spoon |
| Recipe: |
| Boil kokum thoroughly in a pot. |
| Strain the pulp and blend it with mild betel leaves in a mixer jar. |
| In a separate pan, dry roast lentils, grind them and add to the betel leaf mixture. |
| Mix in jaggery, salt, coriander powder, and chilli powder, adjusting to a pourable consistency. |
| Serve at room temperature with chapati, rice, or pulao. |
| This flavorful chutney is a perfect accompaniment to meals, aiding digestion, boosting metabolism, and balancing heavy foods. Ideal for winter and monsoon, it enhances both taste and gut health. |
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Herbs and Medicinal Plants
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