Savour avarekai ice-cream at VV Puram mela

BENGALURU: After gorging on idlis, vadas, dosas and bondas made of avarekai or broad beans batter, visitors can now relish avarekai-flavoured ice cream. It’s the latest addition to over 100 varieties of sweeties and savouries being offered at this year’s edition of the Avarekai Mela in VV Puram, which began on Saturday.
Made with an avarekai and vanilla base, the ice-cream is peppered with small chunks of the beans.The mela, organised by Sri Vasavi condiments, was inaugurated by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda who also felicitated avarekai farmers from Magadi.
According to organisers of the annual event, which is currently in its 19th year, the number of farmers involved in avarekai cultivation and distribution is slowly dwindling with many migrating to bigger towns in search of other jobs.
“Although we continue to get more than 10 tonnes of avarekai for the mela every year and in spite of the huge demand in Bengaluru and Karnataka, the number of cultivators is decreasing as a large number of farmer families from Magadi, Kolar and Chintamani are migrating to cities. Once avarekai is peeled, it must be sold or used the same day, and this year, very few women have signed up for this job,” said Swathi KS, proprietor of Sri Vasavi Condiments.
She pointed out that the number of farmers who attend the mela to sell their produce has also dipped this year.
Gowramma, 53, from Bellagumpa in Magadi, has been attending the mela every year since its inception. She is among the 50 farmers from Magadi who are selling their produce at the fair. “In the village, we usually sell it for Rs 60 or less per litre and here we get at least Rs 100,” said Gowramma.
In addition to avarekai icecream, Hithikidebele jalebi, jamun, obattu, pani puri, akki roti, dosa and bonda emerged as the crowd favourites on Day 1.
“I come here every year to taste the holige, vada and dosas made of avarekai. In addition to being high in nutritional value, the dishes are delicious too,” said SA Chinne Gowda, president, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce who visited the mela on Saturday.