Kumta - Onion-a special kind

Kumta-Onion- a special kind

 

 

Every year my children from

 abroad remind me to buy onions either in the month of March, April or May. They call those oni0ns specially "Kumta Onions" known for typical taste and colour. We get such onions mostly in Alvekodi or V annalli in Kumta.

 

Heaps and heaps of  bunches of onions pink purple and white color are seen in the temporary sheds at a distance on either sides of main road ready for sale that attracts public attention.

 

People moving up and down are attracted by these onions they stop their vehicles and buy how much they want. We see such lovable and attractive scene in Kumta during these months. My brother comes from Ankola and buys a lot of onions for him and sends to others at different places.

Kumta is known for cultivating sweet flavored onions.my children identify it as 'kumta onion'. It is called 'sweet onion', 'salad onion'. My children like it for raw-consumption. It is best suited for salads, sandwitches and 'vegetable raita'.
It is very tastey when it is cooked with shell-fish like prawns or 'balachu' when my children were here they liked very much to eat such preparation. They never forgot 'balachina sukka' with chapathi that's
 mouth-watering , munching feeling happy, dancing on one leg which was common scene  when they were here.

Every year my husband takes me by his car, we both go to Alvekodi or Vannalli to buy onions. Traditionally onions are stored in hanging bunches and they can be preserved upto many months together.

Onion- vender says that loose, sandy coastal soil of Kumta is good for growing onions. Such sweet onions are grown in small patches in fields but not much attention is given to onion growers. I f they are provided good facilities they can cultivate in plenty.

Anyway its flavor is unique. If once you taste it you'll be fascinated.



                          Indu naik