Sherif Mandal selects a long, stout stalk from a fresh sugarcane bundle. He nimbly bends and folds the scrubbed piece twice before feeding it into his sugarcane press at Poojappura. The vendor then wedges in a slice of ripe lemon and peeled ginger into the half-crushed stem before juicing the bagasse to the hilt. He promptly serves it to a customer with a dollop of crushed ice.
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Summer may be only around the corner but the mercury has been showing signs of impatience. As soothing thirst-quenchers gradually find its way into the ‘lime’light again, roadside sugarcane juice, or karimbin juice, stalls in the city are adding a dash of sweetness to much-needed hydration. “Many stop by for a glass or two, while others take home parcels in bottles,” says Sherif, who’s been in the business for five years. “Earlier, I used to put pudina leaves as well in the mixture for flavour but not any more as many want the juice without it,” says the Kolkata native, who owns two other stalls at Thycaud and Pangode. A glass of the refreshing drink comes at ₹20.
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A natural coolant, sugarcane extract is deemed one of the “fresher” options as the juice is extracted in front of the customer and served in no time. Also, no water is added to the drink. “The stalks are bought from a dealer who sources it from Madurai, Mysore and Thoothukudi,” says Sherif, who purchases about 60 “bundles” for a week when all three of his stalls are in full swing.
Vendors say they prefer sugarcane varieties from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as they are “mellower and sweeter.” Like Shaji K H, who maintains roadside sugarcane juice stalls in Pangappara, Pongumoodu, Chavadimukku and Kattaikonam. Also a supplier of sugarcane, Shaji says he directly sources the crop from Mysore and Thoothukudi to ensure quality.