A hint of mint and lots of fizz

Fuljar soda, a simple fizzy drink, is creating a buzz in town

Fuljar rage: A customer relishes the soda drink at a road side stall in K K Nagar G MOORTHY

It became a sensation of sorts in Kerala, a month ago. Foodies in the neighbouring State were going gaga over ‘ fuljar soda’. And now, Madurai is in the grip of the fizzy drink. The net is abuzz with people sharing images and videos of the beverage.

So, what’s the hype about? The fuljar soda may not taste as fancy as it sounds but has a fascinating appeal. At a street-side joint called Bicycle Burger in K.K.Nagar, young men and women swarm the kiosk for a sip . People enthusiastically watch Ashok, who runs the joint, prepare it.

The 25-year-old throws in spoonful of a dark green paste into a shot glass, squeezes a lemon wedge into it and adds a pinch of salt. Then he takes a glass mug and fills it with plain soda. Next, he drops the shot glass into the brimming mug and the bubbly drink overflows with a hiss, the effervescent liquid oozing out incessantly even while you sip on it. And that’s what the fun is all about!

“It’s more like magic. When I tried it first, I never thought the soda would keep bubbling out for so long and I soiled my shirt. However, it was fun and I kept returning and also introduced my friends to it,” says Renganathan Srinivasan, who read about it on Facebook page Where Madurai Eats.

The green paste has finely ground mint and coriander leaves, green chillies and basil seeds. The lemon and salt add tang to the drink, while the chillies give it a dash of spice. “The taste is peculiar and eclectic. But people appreciate it for the experience. Almost everyone laughs when the soda overflows and they take selfies or videos of it. I introduced fuljar soda alongside burgers after I learnt about it from my friends in Kerala. Next, I am planning to bring in the famous kulukki sarbath,” says Ashok, who along with his friend, both mechanical engineers, custom-built the kiosk to look like it’s mounted on a bicycle. “We dismantled parts of a bicycle, built a chassis ourselves and mounted the kiosk on it. It costed us Rs.70,000.” The kiosk is stationed opposite the Walker’s Club on Eighty Feet Road, K.K.Nagar.

Fuljar soda is also sold in few other such street side stalls in the town, some on the bypass Road. A glass of soda is sold for Rs.30 to Rs.50. It’s indeed a quick refreshing drink that comes with an element of fun. So, when are you swigging down a fuljar soda before the fad fizzles out?