Bamboo shoots are used in cooking in many parts of India. North east India, Kadagu district of Karnataka and west coast are some regions where bamboo shoots are popular. While rest of India was exposed to this delicacy through Chinese restaurants, the awareness about its usage in Indian cooking is very low. Vegetables like Zucchini, broccoli, celery and herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano and lemon grass, which were unknown to Indians until recent times have arrived in Indian markets, fresh bamboo shoots are hard to find except in the regions mentioned above and in some cities where they are mainly sold for use in Chinese restaurants. If enough exposure and information is offered to consumers, this versatile ingredient can find many applications in Indian cooking.

Fresh bamboo shoots need some time and effort for preparation. Normally they are sold in about 30- 45 cm long pieces. The hard outer layers should be peeled away and discarded, till the tender parts, off white in colour are exposed. This part is tender enough to slice through with a sharp knife. Any lower pieces which are too hard to slice may be discarded. Those used to eating bamboo shoots use even these firm parts which can be chewed on, but cannot be swallowed, like Indian drum sticks. But this may not appeal to some as these parts have a strong woody flavor. The top most part of the shoot is conical in shape. Its tender crunchy texture and delicate flavour is priced by connoisseurs. These are the parts which are sold canned. But most canned bamboo shoots lack flavour and texture but are convenient to use.

Once the hard outer layers and lower parts are trimmed away, the shoot can be slit vertically in halves. Then, starting from the base, they are cut into 1/2 cm thick slices, keeping the top 6-8 cm in one piece. The slices and tips are then immersed in a big bowl of water and left to soak for 24-36 hours, changing the water a couple times. This process removes the slight bitterness of bamboo shoots. (In South Karnataka where bamboo shoots are relished, they are harvested in season and preserved salted in large quantities, to be used out of season. For this, the prepared fresh pieces are tied in cloth bundles, tied to a rope and immersed well in water to soak, with the other end tied to a pillar or a nearby tree.)

The soaked pieces are drained from water, boiled with fresh water for about 20 minutes and used in recipes. They can be boiled with some salt, drained and frozen. Or they can be mixed with salt and preserved. Salted bamboo shoots should be soaked again in water for a couple of hours to remove the excess salt, before using.

Bamboo shoots can be used in many recipes. They can be used in snacks, curries, stir-fries, soups, salads and fried rice. The shoots prepared and boiled as described above are used in many recipes.

Bamboo shoots make an exotic addition to the vegetable range. They are low in calories (one cup of sliced bamboo shoots have only about 14 calories) and high in fiber which aids in prevention of colon cancer and in controlling cholesterol levels in blood. It is a good source of potassium, a heart healthy mineral. It also contains phytochemicals which are potent antioxidants and may have anti cancer, anti bacterial and anti fungal properties.

CHANDRI BHAT