Fresh Produce (500g)
Product Code: HB11
Price: £8.99
Betal Leaf : Fresh Thai Produce (500g)
Thai Name: Bai Ploo
The Betel Leaf is a member of the Piperaceae family that also includes kava and pepper. The Betel Leaf is particularly valued for its medicinal properties and as a mild stimulant. It is common amongst older people in Thailand as a leaf that is chewed.
The leaf is cultivated by using a tree or pole as the plant is essentially a creeper. The vines can grow very quickly and can reach more than a meter in height in around a month. The leaf has a high value for the Vietnamese and is used ceremonially at weddings and also in situations where they chew the leaf to break the ice so to speak.
In some communities throughout South East Asia the leaf is also mixed with tobacco. The Betel Leaf has medicinal properties and they are used for cures to cast out worms in India and also as a cure for bad breath. The medicinal property of the leaf in Thailand is that it can cure toothache. In Malaysia they are used as a cure for headaches, joint pains and arthritis while in Indonesia they are used by women who have just given birth by putting them in a bath of water. In Thailand, the leaf is also used in mieng kam which is a very popular leaf wrapped snack. The snack consists of dry shrimps, betel leaves, lime, shallots, chillies, coconut and raw ginger.
The snack is accompanied by a delicious sauce made from galangal, water, palm sugar and fish sauce. The betel leaf snack is very healthy and is an excellent and extremely tasty appetizer. The Betel Leaf is also popular in salad dishes and many salad dishes in the north of Thailand contain the Betel Leaf. The Betel Leaf is a very tasty accompaniment for a salad and the snack is particularly tasty.
Note: The cut off date for placing your fresh products order will be Wednesday, with delivery scheduled for the following Wednesday. This is because all our fresh food in flown in directly from Thailand on a weekly basis to ensure you get the freshest possible products.
Fresh produce from Thailand.
