sandeep dwivedy, post news network, Cuttack, May 20: Cuttack among several other things is famous for its dahibara-aloodum. This favourite street food of the residents here is the combination of dahibara topped with aloodum and guguni (yellow peas curry), served with cut onions, coriander leaves and bhujia sev. This timeless local delicacy is, as usual, a hit among the visitors as well. Side by side this lip smacking dish sold by many permanent and temporary stalls in every nook and corner of the silver city, demand for ice apple, known in local lingo as talasaja has gone up in the city, with the mercury rising by the day making life miserable for people.
Although the likes of watermelon and mangoes had already made their foray into the market, talasaja has many takers as it is believed to provide relief from sweltering heat due to its cooling properties. “Succulent talasaja in the searing heat is a healthy option for people,” said Brahmananda Swain, a resident of Link Road.
This jelly like fruit has refreshing sugary liquid inside and is considered a delicacy in the state. The fruit is available in the summer season only. A bit like tender coconut, talasaja is full of minerals and is refreshing on a hot day.
Several pedestrians as well as motorists throng the shops selling the fruit during lunch time. Vendors selling talasaja can be seen on major roads in Cuttack, with large quantities of the fruit piled up in neat rows, tempting the passers-by to have a slice of it to beat the sweltering heat.
Talasaja is a cheap fruit and is available for Rs10 in the market. “Not only is it tasty, talasaja is also a good alternative to fruit beverages. It works as an energy booster and provides water needed by our body during the hot and humid days of summer,” said Aniket Sinha, a resident of the Station Bazaar.
Talasaja, dahibara-aloodum vendors go for the kill
Going by the glee on the face of the fruit vendors, it is evident that this year too talasaja is doing a good business. “On an average, we sell 1,000 talasajas a day as it is the most preferred fruit of this season,” said Bibhuti Mallik, a vendor. “Every summer, somehow I manage to do a business in the range Rs3000 to Rs4000 per day,” he added.
The earnings of the dahibara-aloodum vendors are also impressive. There are around 4,000 dahibara vendors in the entire city. On a single day, even small vendors can earn aroundRs7,000 to Rs10,000, informed a local banker aware of the income of the street food vendors. He however, did not want to be identified.
One may think that the figures are a bit on the upside, but it’s not so. This local delicacy is so popular that hardly anyone, whether a local person or a visitor from outside, misses the chance to taste it. From early morning till late into the night one can find the vendors selling the food stuff across the city. The snack, therefore, has not only been popular because of its taste, but also because it is a great way of earning a decent living for many jobless youths.
At every birthday party, wedding reception party, anniversary party or even a small family get-together, dahibara is the item which finds a place in the menu. The turnover of the market for Dahibara-aloodum is indeed big.
“Many a times we get huge orders from other cities like Paradip, Khurda, Puri, etc. People also want to include dahibara-aloodum in the menu during other important functions,” said Narsingh Behera, a vendor from the College Square area.
There are many sellers who are engaged in this business of dahibara for many generations in the city. “The profit in this business is good while the investment is considerably less, due to which even youngsters do not hesitate to take up this business nowadays,” said Narayan Samal, a vendor from the Link Road area.
Killa Padia in front of the Barabati stadium, Bidanasi, Deulasahi, Chandi Mandir, Biju Patnaik Chowk, Mission, Dolomundai, Gaurisankar Park road and Manglabagh are considered the hubs of this delicacy.