I have a question. When people boast about eating chicken at KFC or McDonald’s, have they ever tasted chicken brains or eyes? The broiler chicken from the local shop would not add liver or flesh without the skin removed unless you ask.
When we lived in Dindigul, my father built a spacious chicken coop to raise chickens, so that we would have eggs to eat every day. Every Sunday we ate the fresh meat of a hen, not broiler chicken. The broiler chicken meat that we eat today comes from a chicken not grown into an adult before it starts to lay eggs.
Every Sunday, my father selected a healthy hen from the brood and kept it separate. After sacrificing the hen, he plucked all the feathers. It must be removed before the hen loses its warmth.
We then gathered dry twigs to make a fire. My father turned the chicken slowly above the fire to remove the tiny feather stubs. We all sat around and watched the whole process without uttering a single word. He would open the hen with a knife. After removing the intestines, he would rub the turmeric powder inside the breast of the hen.
The chicken was then cleaned in the water three to four times. He would then cut the hen into big and small pieces. The legs and wings were cut and kept separate. My mother usually made clear, thin soup from chicken wings and legs. The chicken heart, lungs, liver and egg sacs were kept separate. Clusters of eggs with yolk without the shell were in all sizes, from tiny to bigger size.
My mother mashed the boiled liver and made a delicious rasam with the fresh chicken stock. The rasam tasted delicious with the excellent combination of mashed liver, fresh chicken stock and tamarind pulp. The coriander leaves and the pepper powder enhanced the flavour of the rasam, and it went well with the plain rice.
One week, I had the chance to taste the head of the hen. Curious by the way, the science teacher taught us about the human brain, I opened the skull to see how the brain of a chicken looked. The two lobes of the brain looked tiny. The brain did not taste different, and I swallowed it before my sister eyed it. Usually, cocks were never killed for food. The flesh of cock did not taste good and it was full of fiber and not with fat. Only the male chicken that had not started to crow was used for food. The flesh of the hen chicken contained more fat and tasted soft.
Nowadays no one has the patience or time to buy live chicken and clean it. Instead, buy chopped pieces of broiler chicken from the local shop and cook. To be frank, for me, it did not taste delicious.
The healthy process of plucking and cleaning had been replaced with dipping the chicken in hot water and removing feathers along with the outer skin of the chicken. It may save time. But strips off the real taste of the chicken.
Do you think it will retain the original taste?
What is the main message of the story “On Eating Chicken”?
The story reflects on the difference between traditional and modern methods of preparing chicken, highlighting the emotional and sensory richness of the past and questioning the loss of flavor and connection in today’s fast-paced cooking culture.
Why does the author mention tasting chicken brain?
The author shares a childhood memory driven by curiosity, inspired by a science lesson about the brain, offering a personal and honest glimpse into how deeply we explore food, culture, and knowledge as children.
How does traditional chicken preparation differ from today’s methods?
Traditional preparation involved selecting, cleaning, and cooking the hen with care, often involving family and firewood, whereas modern practices rely on pre-packaged broiler meat that lacks the same taste, patience, and ritual.
What cultural values are highlighted in this story?
The story highlights respect for food, family participation in cooking, self-sufficiency, and the value of slow, meaningful processes that connect people to their roots and traditions.
