<p>Bamboo shoots are edible new growth (sprouts) harvested from the bamboo plant. They are crisp, crunchy and tender with a flavour similar to corn.<br /><br />Bamboo shoots are often associated with Chinese cuisine, but my grandmother who had, perhaps, never heard of China cooked it in many interesting ways. <br /><br />Although it not popular in Western cuisine, many Westerners are familiar with bamboo shoot as it is frequently used in Asian restaurants in soups, broths, dumplings and stir-fry dishes. <br /><br />Bamboo shoots can be pickled. They retain a crunchy, crisp texture through cooking, which complements a variety of vegetables and meats. They are also used as garnish in Chinese cuisine. Shredded bamboo shoots are used in salads and noodles too. <br /><br />Bamboo shoots are low in fat and calories but rich in fibre and potassium. Potassium (also found in potatoes, bananas) is a heart-healthy mineral. It helps to maintain normal blood pressure and a steady heart beat.<br /><br />From Mizoram to Mangalore<br /><br />In India, bamboo shoots are cooked in a variety of ways in Assam, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Manipur, Western Orissa, Goa, Kerala, Kodagu, Malnad and Mangalore. <br /><br />To prepare fresh bamboo shoots for cooking, peel off the outer layers to reveal the core, which is then sliced into thin strips. Bamboo shoots are parboiled to remove their natural bitterness, and then they can be used in cooking. Raw bamboo is woody, bitter and difficult to digest. <br /><br />Fresh bamboo shoots can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If the shoots are exposed to sunlight, they may develop a bitter taste. Fresh shoots can be cooked and frozen. To reduce the strong odour, chop and soak them in water for three days, changing the water every day. These days sliced bamboo shoots are available in packets in some supermarkets. They are also canned, which means you can open the can and cook them straight away. Canned bamboo shoots are parboiled before canning, so they require no special treatment before they are used.<br /><br />Cook bamboo shoots in boiling water in an uncovered pan for 20 minutes. Leaving the pan uncovered allows the compounds that cause bitterness to dissipate into the air. If there is any bitter taste to the shoots after cooking, boil them in fresh water for five more minutes. Bamboo shoots can also be microwaved, in an uncovered shallow pan of water, for four minutes. The shoots will still be crisp and crunchy even after cooking.<br /><br />Versatile wonder food<br /><br />Cooked bamboo shoots can be served as a vegetable side dish with a bit of butter and pepper or soy sauce; added to salads, soups, vegetable dishes; stir-fried in a wok and served with soy sauce and rice; or marinated in lemon, sesame oil and soy sauce for several hours and served. Bamboo shoots can be combined with a variety of vegetables, including baby corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, string beans and mushrooms <br /> Baimbale or kanile, as bamboo shoots are known, is a delicacy enjoyed by the people of Kodagu during the monsoon. The consumption of bamboo shoots is said to balance the body temperature during rainy and windy days. <br /><br />A dish made of chana and bamboo shoots goes well with the Kodagu-style akki rotti (cooked rice is mashed and shaped into rotti and roasted over coals).<br /><br />Bamboo shoots are eaten in Goa during the monsoon and are commonly known as keerl. <br />In Mangalore, keerl-moog (bamboo shoots with green gram) is a popular delicacy. Here goes the recipe:<br /><br />Ingredients: 1 cup (200 gm) bamboo shoots finely chopped; 1 cup (200 gm) sprouted green gram (moong). Boil both these ingredients with salt to taste.<br /><br />For the masala: 1 tbsp chilli powder; ½ cup grated coconut; a small ball of tamarind; ½ tsp coriander powder; ¼ tsp jeera powder, 15 curry leaves; 2 red chillies.<br /><br />Method: Lightly fry the coconut in ½ tsp oil. Add the dry masala to the coconut. Grind <br />coarsely the ingredients in a mixie, add tamarind and keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan and fry ¼ tsp of mustard seeds. Add dry chillies cut into long strips. Add 15 to 20 curry leaves. Now add the ground masala to the oil and mix nicely. Add cooked bamboo shoots and moong. Mix it and bring it to a boil. Add salt to taste. Serve it as a starter or with rotti or rice.<br /><br />Tasty pickle<br /><br />Bamboo shoots can be pickled on their own or mixed with other crunchy ingredients like carrots, raw papaya, gherkins, mushrooms and cabbage. Try this recipe for pickled bamboo shoots.<br /><br />Ingredients: 1 cup (200 gm) sliced bamboo shoots; 2 tbsp salt; juice of 2 lemons; ¼ tsp turmeric powder. Mix these ingredients and keep aside for marination.<br /><br />Pickle masala: 4 tbsp red chilli powder; 1 tbsp mustard seeds slightly roasted; ¼ tsp jeera (cumin) roasted and powdered; ¼ tsp turmeric powder; ½ cup mustard or gingelly oil; 15 curry leaves.<br /><br />Method: In a pan heat ½ cup mustard or gingelly oil and fry the curry leaves. Add the pickle masala. If it becomes too dry, add a little more oil. Turn off the gas. Now add all the marinated ingredients and mix gently. Cool it for a day or two and bottle it.</p>
<p>Bamboo shoots are edible new growth (sprouts) harvested from the bamboo plant. They are crisp, crunchy and tender with a flavour similar to corn.<br /><br />Bamboo shoots are often associated with Chinese cuisine, but my grandmother who had, perhaps, never heard of China cooked it in many interesting ways. <br /><br />Although it not popular in Western cuisine, many Westerners are familiar with bamboo shoot as it is frequently used in Asian restaurants in soups, broths, dumplings and stir-fry dishes. <br /><br />Bamboo shoots can be pickled. They retain a crunchy, crisp texture through cooking, which complements a variety of vegetables and meats. They are also used as garnish in Chinese cuisine. Shredded bamboo shoots are used in salads and noodles too. <br /><br />Bamboo shoots are low in fat and calories but rich in fibre and potassium. Potassium (also found in potatoes, bananas) is a heart-healthy mineral. It helps to maintain normal blood pressure and a steady heart beat.<br /><br />From Mizoram to Mangalore<br /><br />In India, bamboo shoots are cooked in a variety of ways in Assam, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Manipur, Western Orissa, Goa, Kerala, Kodagu, Malnad and Mangalore. <br /><br />To prepare fresh bamboo shoots for cooking, peel off the outer layers to reveal the core, which is then sliced into thin strips. Bamboo shoots are parboiled to remove their natural bitterness, and then they can be used in cooking. Raw bamboo is woody, bitter and difficult to digest. <br /><br />Fresh bamboo shoots can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If the shoots are exposed to sunlight, they may develop a bitter taste. Fresh shoots can be cooked and frozen. To reduce the strong odour, chop and soak them in water for three days, changing the water every day. These days sliced bamboo shoots are available in packets in some supermarkets. They are also canned, which means you can open the can and cook them straight away. Canned bamboo shoots are parboiled before canning, so they require no special treatment before they are used.<br /><br />Cook bamboo shoots in boiling water in an uncovered pan for 20 minutes. Leaving the pan uncovered allows the compounds that cause bitterness to dissipate into the air. If there is any bitter taste to the shoots after cooking, boil them in fresh water for five more minutes. Bamboo shoots can also be microwaved, in an uncovered shallow pan of water, for four minutes. The shoots will still be crisp and crunchy even after cooking.<br /><br />Versatile wonder food<br /><br />Cooked bamboo shoots can be served as a vegetable side dish with a bit of butter and pepper or soy sauce; added to salads, soups, vegetable dishes; stir-fried in a wok and served with soy sauce and rice; or marinated in lemon, sesame oil and soy sauce for several hours and served. Bamboo shoots can be combined with a variety of vegetables, including baby corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, string beans and mushrooms <br /> Baimbale or kanile, as bamboo shoots are known, is a delicacy enjoyed by the people of Kodagu during the monsoon. The consumption of bamboo shoots is said to balance the body temperature during rainy and windy days. <br /><br />A dish made of chana and bamboo shoots goes well with the Kodagu-style akki rotti (cooked rice is mashed and shaped into rotti and roasted over coals).<br /><br />Bamboo shoots are eaten in Goa during the monsoon and are commonly known as keerl. <br />In Mangalore, keerl-moog (bamboo shoots with green gram) is a popular delicacy. Here goes the recipe:<br /><br />Ingredients: 1 cup (200 gm) bamboo shoots finely chopped; 1 cup (200 gm) sprouted green gram (moong). Boil both these ingredients with salt to taste.<br /><br />For the masala: 1 tbsp chilli powder; ½ cup grated coconut; a small ball of tamarind; ½ tsp coriander powder; ¼ tsp jeera powder, 15 curry leaves; 2 red chillies.<br /><br />Method: Lightly fry the coconut in ½ tsp oil. Add the dry masala to the coconut. Grind <br />coarsely the ingredients in a mixie, add tamarind and keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan and fry ¼ tsp of mustard seeds. Add dry chillies cut into long strips. Add 15 to 20 curry leaves. Now add the ground masala to the oil and mix nicely. Add cooked bamboo shoots and moong. Mix it and bring it to a boil. Add salt to taste. Serve it as a starter or with rotti or rice.<br /><br />Tasty pickle<br /><br />Bamboo shoots can be pickled on their own or mixed with other crunchy ingredients like carrots, raw papaya, gherkins, mushrooms and cabbage. Try this recipe for pickled bamboo shoots.<br /><br />Ingredients: 1 cup (200 gm) sliced bamboo shoots; 2 tbsp salt; juice of 2 lemons; ¼ tsp turmeric powder. Mix these ingredients and keep aside for marination.<br /><br />Pickle masala: 4 tbsp red chilli powder; 1 tbsp mustard seeds slightly roasted; ¼ tsp jeera (cumin) roasted and powdered; ¼ tsp turmeric powder; ½ cup mustard or gingelly oil; 15 curry leaves.<br /><br />Method: In a pan heat ½ cup mustard or gingelly oil and fry the curry leaves. Add the pickle masala. If it becomes too dry, add a little more oil. Turn off the gas. Now add all the marinated ingredients and mix gently. Cool it for a day or two and bottle it.</p>
