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SharePANAJI: As the monsoon sets in, Goa has an additional delicacy added to the restaurant menus, 'the jumping chicken'.
Amidst futile attempts by the Goa's Forest Department, frog poaching and serving them as a culinary delicacy remains an adventure for many who venture out in the dark to catch these jumping creatures.
The fertile paddy fields get inundated in monsoon and become breeding ground for frogs.
"It's a seasonal feature. There are people who earn few bucks by selling frogs," a Forest Department official said.
The frog meat, which tastes like a chicken, is an added feature in restaurants and eateries these days as many tourists inquire for the dish.
Prominently the eateries dotting coastal villages in south Goa serve frog meat. Also, many of the Catholic families savour the seasonal delicacy during monsoons. Traditionally frog catching is a hobby for many.
When it rains group of youths, usually armed with a torch light and a bucet, venture into the paddy field and track down the frogs that are traceable with their crocking sound.
While the hunting does not need much skill, the catch fetches good price ranging from Rs 10 a frog onwards. A plate of fried jumping chicken cost around Rs 30 to Rs 50, depending on its availability.
Though many catch frogs as an adventure, there are few who get lured into it to make money. Not a huge sum; but a pocket money.
