10 Recipes To Enjoy Fresh Bamboo Shoots
This week, we have fresh bamboo shoots from Blue Heron Farms arriving in the Produce Department, and you may find yourself wondering what to do with it! Or, maybe you're looking at a big pile of bamboo shoots and you aren't even sure what they are.
Bamboo shoots are young, edible parts of the bamboo plant that shoot up out of the ground in the same fashion as asparagus. While some bamboo varieties produce bitter, tough, and small quantities of shoots, other varieties, like the shoots you'll find from Blue Heron Farms, are sweet, tender, and much more abundant.
You're probably used to eating canned bamboo shoots, but nothing compares to the fresh stuff grown right here in Skagit Valley. So if you want to experiment with a new ingredient in your kitchen, check out these 10 recipes for enjoying fresh and locally-grown bamboo shoots, plus instructions on how to process them.
How to Prepare Bamboo Shoots
If you do a quick web search for how to prep bamboo shoots, you'll get a lot of different results. You can choose the instructions that suit you and your timeframe best, but our Produce Manager likes these instructions from Harvest to Table:
Directions
Bamboo shoots must be peeled of their brownish husk before eating. Use a knife to make a slit up the side of the shoot. Unwrap and discard the successive layers until you reach the pale edible core. Cut off and discard the pointed tip and fibrous base.
Boiling: Place the shoot in a saucepan and cover with water and bring to a boil for 20 minutes; change the water and simmer until the shoots are tender. (This procedure will remove the hydrocyanic acid that gives bamboo its bitter taste.)
If the shoots are still bitter, boil again in freshwater for 5 minutes and repeat until they have a more subtle flavor.
Shrimp-and-Pork Dumplings with Bamboo Shoots
When they're finely diced, bamboo shoots add the perfect bit of crunch to steamed or boiled dumplings.
When paired with shrimp and pork, you get a protein-packed bite that’s super flavorful, too!
Serve these up with some spicy chile sauce and a light side salad or edamame.
Hot-and-Sour Soup
If you want to try making your favorite takeout hot and sour soup at home, check out this recipe that features tofu, pork loin, bamboo shoots, and cloud ear mushrooms.
Recipe and photo adapted from Fine Cooking
Vegan Ramen with Miso Shittake Broth
Add a little extra crunch to this vegan ramen by topping it off with some fresh bamboo shoots!
Braised Bamboo Shoots and Chicken Soup
Sometimes a simple recipe is best when you're exploring a new ingredient in the kitchen.
This video includes a recipe for braised bamboo shoots and a simple chicken and bamboo shoot soup that is a good introductory to this ingredient.
Photo Courtesy of Food52
Asian Meatballs
You're familiar with Italian meatballs, but what about the Asian variety?
Featuring ingredients like soy sauce, black bean sauce, ginger, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots, this meatball is a departure from the traditional but is a unique way to enjoy Asian-inspired flavors.
Enjoy it as an appetizer to a larger meal or pair it with rice and a large green salad for dinner.
Photo Courtesy of Food & Wine
Thai Red Curry with Chicken, Red Peppers and Bamboo Shoots
Bamboo shoots lend themselves well to a variety of different stews, soups, and curries.
This red curry features bell peppers, onions, and bamboo shoots, but celery, carrots, and potatoes would also work well.
Serve your curry over basmati rice or riced cauliflower.
Photo Courtesy of NPR
Seasonal Salad With Bamboo
A simple salad is always a good way to enjoy fresh, local food.
This salad had just a few ingredients, allowing the flavors of the sweet peas, kale raab, and bamboo shoots really stand out.
A simple dressing of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and oil gives the salad a light seasoning while allowing the greens and bamboo shoots to shine.
Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living
Sesame Chicken
Sesame chicken is a great recipe to keep on hand because it's easy to customize with whatever fresh veggies you have on hand.
Here, snow peas, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts add a crunchy bite to complement the moist, flavorful chicken.
Panang Chicken Curry
Here's another curry recipe that incorporates crunchy bamboo shoots into the mix.
Instead of red curry paste, Panang curry paste is used to create this chicken dish that includes bell pepper, bamboo shoots, makrut lime leaves, and Thai sweet basil.
Photo Courtesy of Food52
Baked Tofu and Vegetable Egg Rolls
Here's another takeout staple that you should try making at home: eggrolls!
These baked eggrolls are definitely healthier than their deep-fried counterpart, and the addition of tofu provides them with more protein than vegetables alone.