The nut is a bit smaller than a walnut. It is broken open, sprinkled w/mineral lime (calcium oxide) and then wrapped in a betel pepper leaf. You place it in the side of your mouth, gently bite or chew, and shortly thereafter you are ejecting red stuff from your mouth. Even though I quickly removed the nut from my mouth, it was long enough for the lime to burn the side of my tongue and leave it sore for a couple of days...