Turmeric Chicken Cooked in Bamboo

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Turmeric Chicken Cooked in Bamboo is one of Sarawak's most distinctive traditional dishes, celebrating the region's rich culinary heritage and close relationship with the rainforest. Prepared using fresh bamboo as a natural cooking vessel, this time-honoured method gently steams the chicken while infusing it with a subtle, smoky aroma that cannot be replicated with conventional cookware.

Fresh turmeric forms the heart of the dish, lending its vibrant golden colour and earthy fragrance to the tender chicken. Combined with aromatic ingredients such as lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and local herbs, the recipe produces a harmonious balance of flavours that is both simple and deeply satisfying. The bamboo locks in moisture throughout the cooking process, resulting in succulent meat enriched by the natural essence of the bamboo.

Traditionally enjoyed by indigenous communities in Sarawak during festive celebrations, family gatherings, and communal feasts, this dish reflects the values of sharing, resourcefulness, and respect for nature. More than just a recipe, Turmeric Chicken Cooked in Bamboo offers a glimpse into the enduring traditions of Sarawak, where generations have preserved the art of cooking with ingredients gathered from the land and forest.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 4 inches fresh turmeric }
• 3 inches ginger }
• 1 inch galangal } finely pounded
• 6 shallots }
  4 cloves garlic }
• 1 handful of "sam bunnar" (asam kendong)
• 4 stalks lemongrass, bruised
• 6 turmeric leaves, torn into pieces
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon coarsely pounded black pepper
• ½ cup water
• Several bamboo tubes

Method:

• Clean the chicken and cut it into medium-sized pieces so it can be easily placed inside the bamboo.
• Pound the aromatics finely. Mix them together with the black pepper, lemongrass, "sam bunnar", turmeric leaves, and salt until evenly coated over the chicken pieces.
• Marinate for 10 minutes.
• Clean the bamboo tubes thoroughly.
• Place the marinated chicken into the bamboo tubes. Add the water to create the broth, then seal the opening with turmeric leaves.
• Stand the bamboo tubes upright beside a wood fire for cooking. Rotate them occasionally so the chicken cooks evenly.
• Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Recipe contributed by Puan Hjh Malati Tani and Puan Abibah Ani  and members of the Women's Bureau of the PERSATUAN JATTI MIRIEK MIRI (JATTI MIRIEK MIRI ASSOCIATION)

Compiled and Edited by Persatuan Pendidikan Teknikal dan Vokasional Antarabangsa Sarawak. (Sarawak International Technical & Vocational Education Association)