Bamboo Shoots

Bamboo shoots are cultivated in Asia, it comes into two categories, spring shoots and winter shoots, spring shoots are chunky and pale while winter shoots are smaller, both of them are tasty items in Chinese cooking. It is easy to find canned shoots and fresh ones in Asian market. Before you cook, please keep in mind that you can not eat them in raw condition, even the canned shoots, never eat raw bamboo shoots, as they contain a poisonous substance, and you should peel and rinse them well before you cook.

Bamboo shoots

Chun sun (spring bamboo, China), Tung sun (winter bamboo, China).

Bok choy, white cabbage, napa cabbage.

You can find canned bamboo shoots in most supermarkets, and fresh bamboo shoots are also available occasionally year-round in Asian markets.

Choose solid heavy ones that are short, and often with a wide base, try to avoid the soft, mouldy ones when purshasing.

1. Slit up the end of each shoot with a knife, then peel and discard the layers that wrapped the end, until you reach the pale parts, which is the edible core.

2. Cut off the pointed tip and the base as needed, then slice or cut according to the recipes.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, place into the bamboo shoot slices and boil uncover for 20 minutes, or until the bamboo is crunchy tender.

4. Drain well and ready to cook.

For the fresh bamboo shoots, just wrap in newspaper and then refrigerate, in which way it will last for up to 2 weeks. But for the canned, once you have opened, the unused bamboo shoots should be soaked in water, and you are supposed to have the water changed daily, also stored in the refrigerator.

Bamboo shoots with Broccoli Stir-fry Recipe