In India proper they call it paan and often mix it with sugars and other spices, making it a sweet concoction.
UPDATE: Farhad Manjoo points out this old BBC article that warns of oral cancer in paan aficionados.
A documentary about this addictive stuff called paan which is sold at roadside stands in India and which is regarded as an unsavory but common habit.
'Some think it is' paan '- you know, the popular betel leaf you munch on.'
Another theory goes like this since the batter is watery it is called paan pole, paan as in pani.
Our colleague over at NPR's foreign desk, this radio piece for today's Morning Edition on a rich tradition in India of making and chewing spice and nut packets wrapped in betel leaves called paan.
Before, a traditional chewing mixture, known as paan, came with or without tobacco.
London council is cracking down on people spitting a tobacco leaf-based mixture called paan because it is staining pavements.
Here: youtube. com For more information about what I'm doing in Bangladesh, check out my blog at: uncultured. com In the video, one of the kids said he sells "paan".
Part Two is Available Here: youtube. com For more information about what I'm doing in Bangladesh, check out my blog at: uncultured. com In the video, one of the kids said he sells "paan".