Bangalore can't get enough of Hyacinth beans: what you need to know about avarekai

Hitikabele, or skinless hyacinth beans, are prepared by removing the outer layer of avarekalu after soaking them in water; and during the season, mounds of green flat bean pods lay in front of vendors. (Photos by Jayanthi Madhukar.)

At the corner of a busy junction in 7th Block Jayanagar, south Bengaluru, a sharp distinct aroma, neither sweet nor pungent, envelopes the air, signalling the advent of Karnataka's winter darling: the Avarekai aka hyacinth beans!

During the season – from December to spring – mounds of green flat bean pods lay in front of vendors, a common sight at all markets in the city. Most of the vendors have bags of shelled beans or avarekalu because shelling the beans is a painstaking process. Then there is hitikabele or the skinless beans prepared by removing the outer layer of avarekalu after soaking them in water. Incidentally, hitikabele has a distinct flavour and taste as compared to the normal avarekai.

(Photo by Jayanthi Madhukar)

The plump, glossy-green sogudu avarekai beans are a source of excitement amongst the locals. They’re used in paliyas (curries), hulis (sambar), upma (a dish with semolina), dosas, and served with rotis, another popular Karnataka dish made with rice or ragi flour. There’s some form of avarekai for breakfast, lunch and even dinner in the average household here which will prepare at least 6 to 8 avarekai varieties during the season. Unlike raw avarekai, cooked avarekalu is fragrant and has a subtle, almost creamy, taste making it a versatile addition to any dish.

Beyond its traditional culinary role, avarekai has evolved into a cultural phenomenon. In the year 2000, Geetha Shivakumar, owner of Shri Vasavi Condiments, pioneered the Avarekai Mela, a fair designed to assist farmers selling hitikabele which had to be thrown if not sold at the end of the day. Farmers from Magadi participated in the first mela and about 6-8 dishes of avarekai were offered. Today, the number of farmers participating and the variety of dishes have increased multifold.

This year, the 24th edition of the mela, most of the gastronomical delights packed a punch. There were avarekai jalebis, kulfi, puffs, vadas, ice creams, chaats and more. Crowds at the mela usually enjoy such quirky dishes, like the visitor who raved about avarekai gulab jamuns. “Try them,” she urged.

One of the farmers, Satish B, had come from Doddaballapur, near Bengaluru; his tenth outing at the 11-day festival. He explained the changing dynamics of avarekai cultivation. “Avarekai was a seasonal crop but nowadays because of drip irrigation facility, it can be grown throughout the year. There’s too much of demand. I used to grow it in a small portion of the land but now it’s my main crop.”

Avarekai cultivation spans regions in the vicinity of Bengaluru; Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur, Chintamani, Kolar, with Magadi earning a reputation for producing some of the finest beans. The crop's popularity has transcended state borders, drawing farmers from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to cultivate avarekai as well.

Restaurants, particularly those specializing in Karnataka cuisine, have embraced avarekai as a staple during the season. Chef Dinesh Pojari from Oota, Bangalore, shares a recipe for 'avarekai bath’ which he points out is the perfect rice dish to serve your loved ones. Avarekai has also found its way into fine-dining establishments, featuring in salads, falafels, and even some fancy desserts.

While it seems like the beans are riding a steady wave of popularity, there is consensus among farmers and connoisseurs on the quality available throughout the year. “Of all the months, December’s harvest is the best,” Satish stressed. “There is the effect of dew and mist on the beans which gives the distinct, characteristic taste and aroma or sogadu. The king of beans is, without any doubts, the sogadu avarekai.”

The vendors at Jayanagar’s corner may beg to differ because “people are always buying avarekai” as one of the vendors proclaimed. But one truth remains: avarekai is always in demand in the city that’s believed to have been named after benda kaalu (boiled beans), never mind if those beans were coffee beans!

Avarekalu Bath

Recipe of Avarekai Bath by Dinesh Pojari

Cook time – 25 min

Prep time – 30 min

Serves 3

Ingredients

- Oil - 100 ml

- Cinnamon stick - 4

- Cloves - 2

- Green cardamom - 1 g

- Bay leaves - 5 no

- Onion (sliced) - 150 g

- Ginger garlic paste - 50 g

- Coriander leaves (chopped) - 15 g

- Mint (chopped) - 10 g

- Tomato (sliced) - 600 g

- Coriander powder - 15 g

- Cumin powder - 6 g

- Turmeric powder - 5 g

- Kashmiri chilli powder - 20 g

- Avarekai peeled and skinless - 400 g

- Bullet rice - 600 g

- Ghee - 100 ml

Method

- Soak rice for 1 hour at room temperature water.

- In a handi, heat oil, add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, and lightly sauté until fragrant.

- Add sliced onion and continue sautéing until translucent, then add ginger garlic paste continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.

- Add coriander leaves, mint leaves and sliced tomatoes, cook until the tomatoes have become mushy and reduced to half their original volume

- Add salt, coriander, cumin, turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powders, and cook until fragrant.

- Add avarekalu and mix well. Add water and let it come to a boil.

- Add rice, stir gently to ensure it is evenly mixed, let it come to a boil. Keep on mixing gently until the rice is almost cooked.

- Level the rice, add ghee on top, and cover and allow cooking for 15 minutes.

- Take it off the flame; let it rest for 30-45 minutes.