Taste of tea and biryani cooked on bamboo sticks

 Have you ever eaten tea cooked in a bamboo gabuwa (dhungro) in a bamboo cup? Not only tea but also biryani cooked on green bamboo can be tasted in Kathmandu. For this, one has to reach Maiti Devi of Kathmandu.

About 100 meters from the white bridge of Maitidevi towards Ratopul, on the right side you will find a bamboo cottage. The cottage, which can accommodate about three dozen customers, has all the structures from chairs to dining tables made of bamboo. Today, the main attraction of this restaurant is the bamboo dishes.

Starting from the taste of biryani cooked in bamboo cows about a year ago, this restaurant is now more famous for its bamboo tea than biryani. Restaurant operator Vivas Kafle says that after being popular on social media, now more than 150 customers come to Bamboo Biryani for tea made of bamboo.

At present, green bamboo for making tea and biryani is being brought from Jhapa on Wednesday. Bamboo cups for drinking tea are also made on Wednesdays.

The long bamboo brought from Jhapa is initially cut into the shape of a 2 feet long cow. Tea leaves, sugar, milk, and water are kept from the hole on the other side of the cow. This is also the way to make biryani. After placing the necessary ingredients, the tea is prepared after baking in the oven for about 5 minutes. For biryani, it takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the tea or biryani is made, the cow cannot be reused. So it is burned as firewood in the same furnace. According to Kafle, 4 to 6 cups of tea are made in a cow.

Kafle says that nowadays it costs 5 to 7 times a day to make bamboo tea and biryani.

The path to self-reliance after failing in CIA

Kafle, who has had success in three businesses, does not have a happy past. After entering Kathmandu in 2069 BS, he initially had a dream to study CI He took a basic course in Kathmandu and went to New Delhi, India for further studies.

After repeatedly failing the CE exam, he dropped out of school and returned to Nepal to study commerce. He worked for a living at Bishwajyoti Mall and Putalisadak's Comtech. He then traveled to the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET). He did not last long in NSET. After that, his journey towards self-reliance started from 2073 BS.

He initially started a business called Bhakka House in Old Baneshwor. It was opened in collaboration with his uncle. While doing business, his plan reached Matia House with the suggestions of customers. He says, "A customer who came to eat bhakka has given a plan of matiya."

He says that he has been able to support all three businesses with the loan of Rs 500,000 he had made while opening Bhakka House.

He did not forget Bhakka House when he planned the Matia House. Instead, he planned to take both of them together. Bhakka House and Matia House are still in operation. According to his third plan, Bamboo Biryani was launched in October last year.

How was the plan for 'Bamboo Tea' made?

Kafle wanted to expand his plan. Within the perimeter of Nepali cuisine, he twisted his plan and brought to his mind the cuisine of Indonesian culture. The culture of cooking in bamboo dishes is especially prevalent in Indonesia and China. He tried to introduce the same style in Nepal.

Biryani, a South Indian dish, is found in many parts of Kathmandu. But when it comes to bamboo cooked biryani, his 'bamboo biryani' is evolving as a different brand.

When opening the restaurant, Kafle aimed to make all kinds of Nepali food. But the bamboo biryani slowly overshadowed the other dishes. Eventually, his restaurant became special for bamboo-cooked biryani and tea.

Bamboo biryani, which started in October, was slowly gaining market share. Due to the lockdown that started in April, the business fell to zero again. The pace of Kafle's third business was put on hold by Corona Mahahari.

After the society was gradually returning to New Normal, ‘Bambo Biryani’ had started its service with new dishes last September. The restaurant, which has only bamboo-cooked biryani, has started branding 'bamboo tea' in September.

Recalling plans to expand the brand of bamboo tea, Kafle recalls, "It could have been a cup made of bamboo eyes for drinking tea. But how to cook? At the same time, I remembered the traditional cuisine of Indonesia. It is said to be more profitable than health. So we have a plan to promote this brand. '

Operator Kafle says that many customers are attracted by the cooking of bamboo cows by putting them on a burning fire.