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When food blogger Amar Sirohi shared a picture of a plate of green jalebis he was enjoying in Bengaluru, he cheekily captioned his photograph ‘Mountain Dew jalebi’, leaving the internet stunned and in awe of this unique-looking dish. Contrary to the sticky, syrupy deep-fried orange sweets we’re familiar with, these jalebis were a radioactive green colour, resembling the soft drink they’re named after. Now before we all attempt to wrap our heads around the idea of pouring Mountain Dew into jalebi batter, it really isn’t what one thinks.
Image Credits: New Malaysian Kitchen
The green colour that these jalebis get, in fact, come from a vegetable known as avarekai or hyacinth beans, an ingredient used to make these avarebele jilebi. In the caption Sirohi posted along with the picture, he mentions, “The unique flavour of the avarebele is so popular that there is even a festival/fair dedicated to it – ‘Avarekai Mela’. These avarebele jalebis not only looked different but their taste was also quite different from the regular jalebi. Definitely worth trying if you are in Bangalore.”
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Since the post was shared during the month of June, it has caught plenty of attention and shared more than 25,000 times. It was also posted back in 2020, but has only recently been a topic of discussion and intrigue for social media users. Based on what time of the year the beans are sourced to make these jalebis, the shades transcend between a light green to a fluorescent bright one. Apparently, these jalebis are known to be of a crunchier texture with a tangier flavour than the usual jalebis and are dipped in a sticky honey syrup before being served hot.
At the Avarekai Mela, that is hosted in the VV Puram area of Bengaluru during January and February each year, one can find stalls selling these green sweet treats; along with this, a host of avarekai delicacies like barfi, dosas, idlis, halwa and payasam can be found for visitors to sample.
