Food · Ziro, Arunachal
An Apatani kitchen: pike pila and rice beer
Cook and eat with an Apatani family around the hearth: smoked pork, bamboo shoot, sticky rice, pike pila pickle and home-brewed rice beer, with talk of tapyo, the valley's old plant-ash salt.
Photo: Thinksaurabh · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsDinner in an Apatani house happens around the fire in the middle of the main room, with meat and bamboo shoots hanging to smoke on racks above. Your host may cook rice, a pork or chicken dish, wild greens from the hills and fish from the paddies. The star condiment is pike pila, a sharp pickle made with bamboo shoot, pork fat and chillies. It is strong, so taste a little first.
Rice beer is brewed at home and offered as hospitality. You may decline politely or take a few sips; no one expects you to drink a lot. Ask your host about tapyo, the traditional Apatani salt. With no salt deposits in the valley, people once made it from the ash of burnt plants, filtered and dried into a grey cake, and some families still prepare it for special dishes and rituals.
If you would like to help cook, ask in advance; many homestays are happy to show how they prepare bamboo shoot or smoke meat. Vegetarians should say so early, since many dishes include pork or fish. Eat what you are offered with thanks, leave a little on your plate if you are full, and help clear up only if your host agrees.
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Questions
Before you book
What is pike pila?
Pike pila is an Apatani pickle made from bamboo shoot, pork fat and chillies. It is pungent and spicy and is eaten in small amounts with rice. Most homestays serve it at dinner; some sell jars to guests.
Is vegetarian food available in Ziro homestays?
Yes, if you ask ahead. Hosts can cook rice, local greens, potatoes, dal and bamboo shoot dishes without meat. Apatani cooking uses pork, chicken and fish often, so tell your host your diet when you book.
Do I have to drink rice beer in an Apatani home?
No. Rice beer is offered as hospitality, but you can decline politely or take a symbolic sip. Your host will not be offended if you explain you do not drink. Tea is always available.