Mangaluru (The Hindu): Not just the juicy jackfruit, a variety of mouth-watering delicacies are on display at the two-day jackfruit mela, which began at the Dr. Shivaram Karanath Pilikula Nisargadhama on Saturday.

As you enter the exhibition venue, you will be greeted by a makeshift jackfruit tree that is filled with jackfruits of different sizes.

Shamala Shenoy and her daughter Jayalakshmi Shenoy from Kankanday are serving crispy ‘dosas’ made of jackfruit in their stall. ‘Dosas’ with coconut chutney are being sold at Rs. 40 a plate. They are also serving ‘gharige’ (a deep fried sweet) and ‘payasam’ made of jackfruit. “I learnt it from my mother and my daughter has picked it up,” 60-year-old Ms. Shenoy said. She, along with her daughter, has been taking part in melas organised at Pilikula and on the Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra premises in Bengaluru.

Cynosure of all eyes

Among the stalls that have been getting a lot of attention is the one by software engineer Vasanth Kaje from Vitla, who is selling jackfruit ice cream.

On Saturday, Mr. Kaje brought about nine litres of ice cream in two separate thermocol containers. Within two hours, Mr. Kaje sold 50 cups of ice cream. The ice cream given in cups made of arecanut leaves costs Rs. 30 per cup.

Next to Mr. Kaje’s stall is the one by Shivanna from Sakharayapatna in Chikkamagaluru district who is selling ‘jaffe’, a health drink made of jackfruit seeds that tastes like coffee.

Mr. Shivanna is selling ‘jaffe’ in 100 g and 200 g packets priced at Rs. 45 and Rs. 85, respectively. Many are coming to his stall to taste the drink which is priced at Rs. 10 per cup.

Among the other delicacies available are vacuum fried jackfruit chips, jackfruit halwa, jam, jackfruit dal, jackfruit chatnipudi, pappad and jackfruit squash. Members of the jackfruit growers cooperative in Toobugere in Doddaballapur have brought sucrose rich ‘bangarada’ jackfruit.