The heady aroma of bamboo chicken from the tribal regions of Araku has been drawing foodies from far and wide. Peppered with towering silver oaks, coffee plantations and pepper creepers, the meandering roads leading to the hill station are lined with the stalls of local villagers making and selling this delicacy. So much has the popularity grown that the bongulo chicken has become synonymous with Araku.
The delicacy is cooked inside a piece of green bamboo stalk without oil, making it healthy and delicious. Locally found herbs are used to make the marination, giving the chicken a unique taste. This year, the demand for the dish was at an all-time high with the high footfall of visitors to Araku.
The bamboo chicken, a dish cooked in bamboo shoots
“January was the best month for business. We sold 20 kilograms of chicken on a daily basis,” says Gangamma, who is perhaps one of the first to introduce the delicacy to the visitors. She has been selling this chicken speciality for six years from a stall outside the Araku Tribal Museum. Today, within 500 metres of her stall, there are at least 15 other bamboo chicken stalls.
- In the last two years, the State government is making efforts to promote tourism in various ways. Besides the popular Araku Balloon Festival and Vizag Yachting Festival, it has also promoted local delicacies such as bongulo chicken. Along with bitiyani, this chicken has recently been introduced in the Rayalseema district as well. Interestingly, many hotels and restaurants in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada are now offering bongulo chicken during festivals. And foodies in Hyderabad are loving it too.
Gangamma says, “We have to be careful with the roasting technique. Too little time on fire and the meat would be uncooked; a bit longer can even burn it.” She stuffs around 150-250 grams of chicken in the bamboo stem. Ask her about the recipe and she smiles, “The key is in the marination. I use a mix of spices grown in my village and this is something you won’t find in any shop.” Not overpowering, the bamboo flavour in the dish is subtle, but a tad high on the spicier side. Served with onions and a slice of lemon, the meat is tender and juicy.
The traditional bamboo chicken preparation
The origin
The origin of the dish is traced to Maredumilli, a tribal belt in East Godavari District. How and when the dish made its way to Araku is still unclear.
- The preparation of bamboo chicken is no less than an art.
- The chicken, chopped into small pieces, is marinated in traditional spices and pastes of ginger and garlic
- After adding chopped onions and green chillies, the chicken is then stuffed into the bamboo.
- The bamboo stalk is closed with Sal leaves to seal the open end.
- It is then roasted on coal embers or firewood for about 20 to 30 minutes as it is turned every now and then.
- As the colour of the bamboo turns black, the leaves are removed and the chicken is taken out.
- The smoke from the burnt bamboo gives a special flavour to this dish. Many foodies also claim that cooking the chicken with tender bamboo brings out the best flavours.
But it is a big hit among tourists. Chaparai, another popular tourist destination near Araku known for its waterfalls, also has a row of these bamboo chicken stalls.
Thanks to the popularity of the dish, many have stepped out of their tribal village for the first time to make and sell it to outsiders.
S Ramu travelled to Vijayawada last year to participate in a national level art and craft expo where he showcased the bongulo chicken.
