While the tradition of meetha paan has been a long-standing mouth freshener in many North Indian households, recent years have witnessed creative twists on this age-old preparation. The classic meetha paan, typically crafted by filling betel leaves with a delightful mixture of chopped dates, tutti-frutti, gulkand, and fennel seeds, has become the canvas for culinary experimentation.
A video featuring an “avocado paan” has recently surfaced on the foodie side of Instagram, sparking both curiosity and skepticism. As the name suggests, the avocado paan ventures into uncharted territory by introducing bits of avocado into the traditional meetha paan blend.
Anita Lalwani Surana, a content creator and the proprietor of Yamu’s Panchayat, a paan-focused establishment in India, shared this intriguing avocado paan video from their Connaught Place location. Although the video has garnered over two lakh likes, the comments section reveals mixed reactions, with many expressing reservations about marrying an exotic fruit with a paan.
One Instagram user candidly stated, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” emphasizing the divide in opinions. Some critics contended that the mild flavor of avocado hardly contributes to the paan’s overall taste. In agreement, another commenter quipped, “That avocado ain’t fully ripe; it tastes really bitter.” Yet another person humorously remarked, “Fun fact: the taste didn’t even change by 1%.”
The avocado paan is not the sole experiment within the world of paan that has met with a lukewarm reception online. In April, a food blogging page from Pakistan on Instagram, known as Mera Apna Punjab (@mera_apna_punjab_official), posted a video featuring a street vendor crafting a “burger paan.” Similarly, in November 2021, an eatery in Gujarat decided to pair paan with brownies, sparking further debate among paan enthusiasts.
In the ever-evolving world of culinary creativity, these daring paan experiments continue to intrigue, amuse, and sometimes perplex food lovers, demonstrating that traditions can be an endless source of inspiration for innovation.
