Fresh Bamboo Shoots (Takenoko)

If you’ve only had the canned variety, fresh bamboo shoots will be a delightful new taste. Fresh bamboo shoots are often available in Asian markets.

Fresh bamboo shoots are very bitter, and are unsafe to eat without removing the bitter compounds (cyanogenic glycosides). This is done by boiling once or several times in salted water. First, cut the fresh shoot in half lengthways, then peel away all outer leaves and trim any tough fibrous tissue from the base. Now slice the shoot thinly accross the grain before boiling in lightly salted water for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse thoroughly and taste. You may need to boil them again to remove any residual bitterness. (Cooking does not destroy the texture of the shoot.) Cooked shoots can be stored in the refrigerator in a closed container filled with water for two weeks or more as long as you change the water frequently.

One easy use is in Takenoko Gohan.