Mysuru: A one-day Avarekai Food Mela, cooking competition and exhibition-cum-sale, organised as part of ‘Bhanuvaara Biduvina Santhe’ (Leisurely Sunday Fair) by Mysore Ladies Association, Vijayanagar 1st Stage, at Sapthapadi Convention Hall in Vijayanagar here this morning, drew huge response from the public.

Hundreds of residents living in the surroundings  of Vijayanagar tasted the mouth-watering dishes, snacks, chats, ice creams, sweets and other food times prepared using avarekai (hayacinth beans) at the Santhe.

A wide range of over 80 varieties of delicious sweets and other savouries made of avarebele, including chithkavarebele holige, bili holige,  hithkavarebele saru, avarebele masala idli, avarebele uppittu, avarekai pulav and avarekai husli, were available at the Fair.

Payasa, vade, biscuits, ash gourd sambar, majjigehuli, rice bath, chakkuli, upsaru, jamun, menthya soppina parota, navane kajjaya, sweets and spicy items prepared using avarakai and chithkavarakalu were the other attractions.

Cooking Contest: Residents from Yadavagiri, Vidyaranyapuram, Sarawathipuram,  Gayatrinagar, Vijayanagar 2nd and 3rd Stage, J.P. Nagar, Vontikoppal, Vidyanagar, Siddarthanagar and other parts of the city took part in the avarekai food items cooking contest.

Interestingly, city-based dancer Dr. Yadugiri of Saraswathipuram was also a participant in the cooking contest and the avarekala nipputu and nandini kovu jamuna prepared by Dr. Yadugiri drew huge appreciation.

Apart from avarekalu snacks, eatables prepared from millets were also kept for sale.

Various one-minute games were conducted and prizes were distributed to the winners.      

Earlier, Mayor Pusphalatha Jagannath inaugurated the event. Former Minister Geetha Mahadevaprasad,  Mysore Ladies Association Chairperson Mallige Veeresh, Secretary Vidya Anand, Vice-President Pavithra Mallikarjuna, Treasurer Prabhavathi S. Kumar, Directors Latha Jagadeesh, Anuradha Nagakumar, Hema Rangesh, Latha Suresh and others were present.

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