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Averakai is a special grain that has traditional value. You may have caught sight of green beans which are poured in baskets in Bengaluru markets. They have been cultivated in Karnataka since prehistoric times. Harvested during the month of December in Chikmagalur, Kolar and Mulbagal areas, these green beans have a distinct aroma and flavour. 'Sogadu averakai' is the best quality of bean, in terms of aroma, flavour and texture.
Most of the homes in the south, especially in Karnataka, have stuck with the tradition of making use of averakai beans in winters. In fact, the Arya-Vaishya business community is known to make maximum use of the bean. For a very long time, the women in the family have partaken in the tradition of shelling the beans while singing folk songs. It was a therapeutic activity for them, as they were able to open themselves up to other women and discuss anything they wanted. Sounds wonderful, right? The beans are fried in hot oil, along with coconut and nuts to create a trail mix to gorge on, the remaining beans are put away in the refrigerator to be used in rotis and the peels are sent to dairy farms for cows to munch on.
In South Bengaluru, you can visit Thindi Beedi or VV Puram Food Street, sandwiched between Sajjan Rao Circle, Minerva Circle, RV Road and National College Flyover. It is the street where most of the Karnataka local food is sold in pushcarts. Although you can visit any time of the year and be awed by the variety of food on offer, Thindi Beedi is especially famous for holding the 'Averakai Mela' between December and February.
Locals look forward to the event, in which the bean is used to make 100s of items including bonda, halwa, payasa, dosas, ice cream, idlis, vadas, ottu shav
