IFR Nutology: Coconuts and Betel Nuts

Ever wondered why the coconut plays such a significant role in most Hindu traditions? In rituals? In offerings to God?

Someone had once told me the three eyes of the coconut represent the three eyes of Shiva, one of the three most revered Gods in Hinduism. Apparently, there is more to it, according to this FAQ.

The coconut is broken, symbolising the breaking of the ego. The juice within, representing the inner tendencies (vaasanas) is offered along with the white kernel - the mind, to the Lord. A mind thus purified by the touch of the Lord is used as prasaada (a holy gift).

Most rituals usually have a sound basis in either logic or economics. I think this holds true when it comes to the coconut, too. Kalpa vriksha is the Sanskrit word for the wishing tree or the tree of life. I have seen this meaning extended to the coconut tree because nearly every part of the palm tree can be used and the tree has a high annual yield of the sustaining fruit.

We grew up on and with coconuts; literally, every part of the fruit. Water from young coconuts was a thirst quencher during hot and humid summers. The tender flesh within, a treat to slurp once the water had been downed. The water from the mature coconut was also popular but not as much as that from the young tender coconut. The husk and shell was used in outdoor stoves as fuel. The white flesh was grated, ground and 'milked' and converted into the base for our curries. After all, what is fish curry without coconut?

Fresh grated coconut is the most common garnish where I come from and definitely more popular than just cilantro. Dried coconut was also used in curries but more so in dry chutney powders like Lasnichi chutney. Steel wool and scouring pads were preceded by the more environment-friendly coconut husk to scrub utensils. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

It's not much of a surprise that the coconut is a revered and considered an auspicious fruit.

But betel nut? Betel nut or supari is known for being a mouth-cleanser. According to the Ayurveda, it is supposed to have medicinal properties as well. The leaves of the betel plant are used to make tambulam on special occasions and are also presented as a parting gift to visitors.

Betel nuts can be chewed for their effects as a mildly euphoric stimulant, attributed to the presence of relatively high levels of psychoactive alkaloids. Chewing it increases the capacity to work, also causes a hot sensation in the body, heightened alertness and sweating.

The betel leaf is also used to make paan.

In Hindu tradition, betel nuts represent the deities. The worshipper provides seats of rice grains to these deities and installs them on the seats. The following should be the arrangement made on a raised wooden seat. Betel nuts representing deities are kept on betel leaves.

From eSamskriti

This is the most I have been able to find when it comes to tradition and religious ceremonies. If you can shed more light on why betel nut is considered auspicious, please do let me know!


Coconuts, betel nuts, a diya and an agarbatti in the snow?! More than a little incongruous. Slightly crazy, too, especially on a particularly windy day! But it all makes sense as this is is my entry for CLICK, a theme-based monthly food photography event. The current theme is nuts. The deadline is December 30, 2007 so if you haven't clicked yet, hurry up and send in your entry. The rules are here.

IFR Nutology: Peanuts

Spanish Peanuts

I've said this before, peanuts are very popular in our house! They are a delicious snack by themselves, as part of a snack, in a salad, and even with veggies. We add peanuts to dals and amtis and they make an appearance in sweet foods like peanut chikki and ladu. And, the American favorite peanut butter-jelly sandwich makes for a quick lunch at least once a week.

But did you know that peanuts are not really nuts? They are legumes from the Fabaceae family. More like peas, really! The peanut plant flowers above ground but develops its pods underground. That is why in many parts of the world, they are known as groundnuts.

Peanuts are known to contain the good monounsaturated fats and are a rich source of protein. Since they are a plant food, they contain no cholesterol. They are said to contribute to healthy brains with good blood circulation, mainly because they contain Vitamin B3, a memory boosting food. Studies have shown that including peanuts in one's diet reduces those nasty triglyceride levels. Peanuts are also rich in arginine which, according to Chinese medicine, is said to slow aging. Now don't all rush out and buy up all the peanuts in the world as this is a controversial topic!

Regardless, peanuts in small quantities make for a healthier snack. So include some peanuts with that apple you should eat every day!

Some resources:
Interesting Peanut Facts
Peanuts for the Heart
The Peanut Institute

Some recipes from other food blogs:
Spicy Nutty Cluster Beans
Faux sabudana khichadi
Groundnut Pachadi
Masala Groundnuts
Peanut Laddoos
and some outstanding pictures, too.

IFR Nutology: Walnuts

After peanuts, walnuts are the next popular nut in our home. I used these liberally in the Spinach Toast I made recently and no-one complained. I toss them in salads. We munch on them just because. And, Medha takes walnuts and apples for snack at least once a week.

Her school finally started giving these poor kids a break for snack. Back in Chicagoland, they had snack in the afternoon as they had lunch rather early. When we moved to Louisville, it took Medha some time to settle down because there was no snack time and they were always rushed at lunch. Either they got there late, or the next class came into their teeny cafeteria earlier than expected. Even though they are allowed to stay and finish their lunch, no-one wants to eat lunch with kids from a higher grade or a lower grade. She lost a lot of weight initially because she just didn't eat enough. She came home starving but since she found that she could play outdoors even in December, she wanted to be out there with the rest of the kids. Eventually, I just had to pull rank and force her to eat.

Want to go play? Eat this. Don't want it? Don't like it? Well, you don't have to go out and play either.

I was done cajoling and explaining it to her, using Love and Logic. Needless to say, I wasn't very popular at the time and I sounded just like this.

Apparently, the school thinks that 4th graders need more nutrition so they have to bring in a snack. And there are rules: no yogurt or Gogurt tubes or fruit cups as they have a tendency to fly and land on the carpet, no cookies, and no sandwiches. Cheese and crackers, all types of nuts, and fresh fruit are welcome. So walnuts make a regular appearance on the snack menu.

And, a good choice it is. Did you know that you don't have to eat fish to get your weekly dose of Omega-3 fatty acids? It's right there in walnuts. A quarter cup of walnuts provides up to 90% of the daily recommended value for these essential fats. Walnuts also boost the immune system because they contain an anti-oxidant called ellagic acid. They are also known to have health benefits that range from keeping your heart healthy to improving cognitive function! My Dad used to joke that they are shaped like our brain for a reason!

My walnuts are California grown, unlike those devoured by some bloggers. I can only imagine what a treat it is like to chomp down some of these beauties!

Like pepitas, they are high in unsaturated fats and go rancid quickly if they are shelled and stored at room temperature. I store my walnuts in the refrigerator where they last for about 6 months or so. They last even longer when stored in the freezer. But I don't like my nuts that cold!

Pepitas

I was mystified when I came across pepitas in an ingredient list recently. I had never heard of them before and I needed to know what I could substitute them with, so that my plans could continue unaltered. There was no picture with the recipe nor a clue what they might be. Google to the rescue!

Pepitas are nothing but pumpkin seeds. They are a popular snack in Mexico and are usually roasted and salted. They can be eaten hulled, or not. Raw or toasted. Salted or not. The kernels are eaten by themselves, too. They are also ground and used to make mole, a delicious Mexican sauce.

I found roasted and salted pumpkin seeds in my local King Sooper's (Kroger's) in the aisle with snacks and nuts. We ate these unhulled till I realized that the quantity was being fast depleted. Then it became a game to see who could crack open the shell and pull the kernel out in one piece. The game worked cos all the seeds got hulled! I put aside as many as I needed, the rest disappeared immediately.

For us, these could very well displace peanuts in the hierarchy of nuts that please.