BANGALORE: By the time Kadlekai Parishe concludes, Bangaloreans would have shelled and consumed heaps of their favourite nut. The end of the Parishe, however, is not the end of the city’s love affair with the unassuming nut. The little obsession comes in several manifestations, all unique to Bangalore.They boil it with the shell in salted water, they toss steamed shelled nuts with spice, lime and some chopped onions into their mouths, they roast the raw ones and the dried ones with the shells, they have the roasted shelled nuts, each one having its own flavour and texture, while others spice the whole nuts with red or green chilli paste. Mix it with moong dal and it’s come to be called as “hurgaalu”, a spicy mixture.Then there is the inimitable “Congress Kadle”, which essentially is split nuts roasted in chilli powder and salt and a hint of asafoetida, which is unique to Bangalore. No one really knows why it’s called Congress, but just a mention of the word sets the average Bangalorean salivating. It has had no competition like the BJP nut or the JD(S) nut, but the Congress is surely the “janata’s” favourite in Bangalore.Like the origins of the word Congress, the Bangalorean’s love for the peanut is a mystery. Some say it’s because the city is so laid back that it leaves its residents with all the time and nuts in their hands. Some others attribute it to its notorious transport service, which leaves commuters waiting for buses endlessly. And sure enough, to entertain those waiting for the elusive bus is the peanut seller, making a killing, as the commuter kills time.Whatever the reason, Bangaloreans don’t seem to stop relishing the nut, as this year’s Kadlekai Parishe has shown. And till the next year, they’ll keep their affair with the humble nut going with their favourite variants.
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