HYDERABAD: Hyderabadis and visitors can now have neera - a “healthy and non-alcoholic drink” extracted from palm trees - with a combination of biryani, snacks, other vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies and even ice cream at the Neera Cafe and Food Court that was thrown open on the bank of the Hussainsagar by the State government on Wednesday.
Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud along with Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav inaugurated the cafe and launched the packed cafe, which will be managed by the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation.
Speaking on the occasion, Srinivas Goud said that the government will introduce Neera ice cream and that munja (palm fruit commonly referred to as ‘ice apple’) ice cream. He said that various palm products like palm honey, and palm jaggery were made available in the store.“Palm produce like palm honey is a divine medicine that helps prevent terminal diseases like cancer. Even diabetics can consume it,” the Minister said.
What is Neera?
Neera is a fresh extract from palm trees. It will turn into a toddy if it is fermented over a period of time or by adding a little mixture of fermentation agents like a toddy left over from the previous day. The authorities have set up four to five collection centres in the districts to collect various types of extract from palm trees with special arrangements to keep the extract fresh in cold storage leaving no scope for fermentation.
After transporting the collected neera from the villages to Neera Cafe, the authorities have evolved a specially designed mechanism to make its taste comparable to coconut water. However, consumers were a little disappointed with the price as the agency is charging Rs 90 per 300 ml of packaged Neera. Meanwhile, Yellanki Janaiah, a 73-year-old toddy-tapper, felt that the neera made available in Neera Cafe tasted artificial.