Indulgences

1. મુખવાસ

   mukhvaas

   Mukhvas (after-meal mouth freshener of seeds and spices)

   Usage

   After a meal Gujaratis eat mukhvas or paan. Often set out free beside the till in a restaurant. A mix of fennel, areca and cardamom among other things; the blend varies by shop

2. વરિયાળી

   variyaali

   Variyali (fennel seed, the commonest mouth freshener)

   Usage

   A plant whose seeds are used as mukhvas and as a spice. The safest thing on the tray — no tobacco, no areca. Sugar-coated coloured versions are also sold

3. ઇલાયચી

   ilaaychi

   Ilaychi (cardamom)

   Usage

   Also called elchi. It is eaten as a spice and as mukhvas. Chewed pod and all. Also used to scent chai, coffee and sweets

4. સોપારી

   sopaari

   Sopari (areca nut)

   Usage

   It is eaten after a meal to freshen the mouth, and shredded fine into paan. It is the fruit of the areca palm, not a nut. ⚠ Habitual chewing is linked to oral cancer, and products blended with tobacco carry further risks

5. પાન

   paan

   Paan (filled betel leaf chewed after a meal)

   Usage

   Mukhvas or paan is eaten after a meal, and shredded areca is put into the leaf. Bought one at a time from a street paan stall. ⚠ Some are made with tobacco and some without — say which you want when you order

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