Gf's Isaan In-laws

[simon43]

Just got back from a very short beak in Isann to visit my inlaws. (BKK-Ubon on Saturday afternoon and back to BKK on Sunday).

Whilst I was in the village, I saw many of the older women chewing beetlenuts.(The stuff that makes their gums/teeth red).

Right, I knew about Beetlenut, but I did not recognise something else they were chewing. Every now and again, these old women took out a metal container (about 6 inches long). This contained a white, sticky substance (6 inches long? white?? stop those thoughts!!) . Using a small stick they put some of this white gunge onto the leaves of some plant, rolled the whole lot together into a cigarette shape, and then (I think!!), chewed or ate it. (Not sure about this but they didn't smoke it or shove it anywhere indecent!!).

Any clues what this white stuff was? Innocent, local delicacy or something rather dubious!!

BTW, I was in the middle of nowhere close to the Laos/Cambodia border).

cheers and happy Sonkran!

Simon

[Kringle]

I would tend to think this would be "slack lime" but I thought they used that in conjunction with the beetlenut but can't be sure. Heard about it from Polynesian people I've met over the years.

[Opl]

Hi!

Yes it's lime paste ( could be red or white) , add an areca nut and enjoy !

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hi!

Yes it's lime paste ( could be red or white) , add an areca nut and enjoy !

It'd kill a soi dog

[pnustedt]

It's called Kherw Mak (pronounced gin mark). Wife describes that women chew it whilst the men smoke tobacco. Apparently contains a mild drug.

Looks revolting, particularly the red stuff being dumped into the spit bucket!

[KevinN]

Yes it is a lime and tends to intensify the beetle,does have a mild drug effect,the reason that older people chew it is for the stringent effect on the teeth and gums to help relieve pain somewhat,and it does cause some changes inside the skull as well.

When I was in Viet Nam,some places where the old would congregate,the sidewalks would look like they had been RED LEADING boat hulls from all the red crap on the sidewalk, I tried it but didn't really care for the effect,as I was a drunk,not a junkie and do not care for drugs. ###### stuff made me kinda dinky dou.

[Opl]

Looks revolting, particularly the red stuff being dumped into the spit bucket!

Please, mind your steps, don't shoot the bucket !

[tuky]

My Father in law comes from a very similar region.

The other day we were having a BBQ and he was eating something else.

The family would not let him sit near us, as it turns out the delicacy he was munching on was a mixture of cow dung, blood and some other ingredients.

We all took the p1ss but he was having a great time anywa

[Sandy]

We actually have that in the US also. My grandmother and her sisters would sit around all day chewing it (kew mark) and watching Thai soaps. It's almost the same as chewing tabacco. But it's just gross when they have to spit it. Im used to it though. Younger, I would actually have to prepare it for her. Roll the leaves with the lime paste and hand her the beetlenut. Since i could remember she would "kew mark".