India is famous for its spices and just about every dish is flavoured with a special combination of spices like masala or tandoori. Goa region grows the finest quality of many spices, including 3 out of the 4 most expensive kinds (vanilla, green cardamom and cloves). Time to explore the spice plantations which are hidden in the jungle!
When wandering the spice plantation, I can hardly imagine that many many years ago, people figured out which spice grows on or out of which bush or tree, how to extract it, when to harvest it and what you can use it for. Every tree and bush looks the same to me and even when the friendly Indian guide points at a peppercorn tree, it takes me some time to recognize it. Btw, if you harvest the red corns and boil them, the skin peels off and you have white pepper...who figured that out?!
When the guide scratches an innocent looking tree, it suddenly smells like Christmas...it is a cinneamon tree.
A guy jumps from palm to palm like a monkey to harvest betelnuts (a main ingredient of paan - a mixture of betelnut, lime paste, spices and condiments wrapped in an edible silky paan leave - that colours the teeth of many Indians bright red and explains the "bloodstains" on the streets).
- Paan seller in Varanasi -
The tour ends with a delicious spicy meal and a shot of Feni the local Goan cashewnut liquor (my god, that is STRONG stuff)! I buy some almond and lemongrass oil for my poor skin, damaged by the dust, sweat, sun and dirt... When I apply it at night, my skin is on fire and burns like your stomach after having the real Indian spicy stuff. Burn baby burn!
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Location:Ponda - Goa province, India
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