Saawan sweets

IT’S THAT part of the year again when Sawan-special delicacies are up for grabs. Sweetshops big and small are geared up to meet the seasonal demand with their own innovations to suit your taste buds. Beyond pakori, samosa and other routine grub, the rainy season showers on you varities of ghewar, andarsa balls, fresh coconut sweets, sood pheni and many more monsoon special stuffs.

“Though in Jaipur different kinds of ghewar are available throughout the year, here it’s made available in Sawan. Traditionally, it tastes best when it rains! The moisture in the air enhances the taste. Generally available in plain, kesar and malai flavours its much in demand specially at Teej,” says Jai Prakash Gupta of Radhey Lal Sweets, Chowk.

Also available at his shop is pheni, ‘Kacche gole (coconut) ki barfi’ and ‘andarse ki goli’. Ghewar is generally available for only a month but the quantum of sale can be gauged by the trendy packaging available at the big sweetshops.

Smalltime mithaiwallas dotting the city are also well prepared with ‘andarse ki goli’, specially if it rains in afternoon or evening. “The typical mohalla residents come to these old shops who are ready with this hot crispy delicacy as the weather gets pleasant. Those who have migrated from these old localities to posh colonies also come hunting for this Sawan special delicacies,” says Sandeep Gupta who runs a sweetshop at Narhi.

“Before Haryali Teej, the would-be in-laws come to us for special packing for the would-be bride. Sweets like ghewar, pheni and andarse ki goli are sent to them along with other traditional items in special packing. Sending ghewar etc has been an old tradition,” says Ravindra Gupta of Chappan Bhog.  He has called special workers from the Thakur Prajapati community in Rajasthan who specialises in ghewar and from Sanwar for pheni. “Ghewar now available in many flavour is made of maida. Pheni  is also made of maida and is available in milk, kesaria and fried form. Andarsa is however made from rice.”

Ghewar has gained so much popularity due to its distinct taste and ‘kam meetha’ at this shop it is available till Diwali and then also in January-February.