Bamboo shoots edit extracted from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (using Wikipedia Reflection Script)

Bamboo shoots are the edible shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of bamboo species Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys edulis. They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, both fresh and canned versions.

Local names

Bamboo shoot tips are called zhú sǔn jiān (竹笋尖) or simply sǔn jiān (笋尖) in Chinese, although they are mostly referred to as just sǔn (筍). In Vietnamese bamboo shoots are called măng and in Japanese as take no ko (竹の子 or 筍). In Assam, they are referred to as gaz and in Nepal as tama (Nepali: तामा). In Jharkhand they are known as sandhna. In Indonesian they are known as rebung. In the Philippines they are most popularly known as labong.

Regional

In Indonesia, they are sliced thinly to be boiled with santan (thick coconut milk) and spices to make a dish named gulai rebung. Other recipes using bamboo shoots are sayur lodeh (mixed vegetables in coconut milk) and lun pia (sometimes written lumpia: fried wrapped bamboo shoots with vegetables). Note that the shoots of some species contain cyanide that need to be leached or boiled out before they can be eaten safely. Slicing the bamboo shoots thinly assists in this leaching.

In certain parts of Japan, China and Taiwan the giant timber bamboo Ryoku-chiku (Bambusa oldhamii) is harvested in spring or early summer. The bamboo has a very acrid flavor and should be sliced thin and boiled in a large volume of water several times. The sliced bamboo is edible after boiling. B. oldhamii is more widely known as a non-invasive landscaping bamboo.

Pickled bamboo, used as a condiment, may also be made from the pith of the young shoots.

In Assam, India, bamboo shoots are part of the traditional cuisine, It's called Khorisa and Bah Gaj in Assamese.

In Jharkhand, India they are used in curries, and commonly used as a pickle.

In Nepal, they are used in dishes, which have been well-known in Nepal for centuries. A popular dish is Tama (fermented), with आलु (Potato), बोडी (Beans). An old popular song in Nepali depicts tama as "आलु बोडी तरकारी तामालाई मन पर्ने हाम्रो आमा लाइ" which means, "my mother loves vegetable of recipe containing Potato, Beans, and Tama". ¹

In Vietnamese cuisine, shredded bamboo shoots are used alone or with other vegetable in many stir-fried vegetable dishes. It may also be used as the sole vegetable ingredient in pork chop soup.

In Philippine cuisine, they are called "Rabong".

The bamboo shoots are used as a special dish during the monsoons(due to seasonal availability) in Coorg(Kodagu) district, Karnataka, India. It is commonly known as Kanile in the local language. It is usually sliced and soaked in water for 2 to 3 days, where the water is drained and replenished with fresh water each day to extricate and remove toxins. It is also used as pickle. It is used as a delicacy by all communities in Coorg.

Gallery

Shoots at bamboo bush

Steamed Ryoku-chiku shoots