Bamboo shoots are popular ingredients in Asian cuisines. This bamboo shoots recipe has both top stove and instant pot methods to show you how to boil, prepare and cook fresh bamboo shoots, so you can use bamboo shoots for your stir fry, soup and curry dishes. Let’s learn how to prepare bamboo shoots with step by step photos and a video.
Love Asian dishes? Check out these steamed garlic shrimp, Thai red curry, Korean glass noodles, tom yum kung, salt & pepper squid, sweet potato leaves stir fry and soy sauce chicken wings recipes.
What are bamboo shoots?
Bamboo shoots are edible shoots or sprouts that emerge from underground rhizomes (root system) of bamboo plants. Also, new bamboo culms (stems) come out of the ground during spring season in bamboo forest. It’s also called bamboo sprouts or shoots and they are edible.
Usually, bamboo shoots are harvested before they grow into mature bamboo stems. They are still young and tender. Besides, they have a conical shape with a pointed tip. It is usually pale yellowish or ivory in color. In addition, the shoots are covered by layers of protective sheaths and need to be removed before consumption.
Bamboo shoots are widely used in various Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese. People like bamboo shoots because of the crunchy texture and mild flavor. They are low in calories, a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Bamboo shoots can be cooked in a variety of ways such as stir frying, boiling, steaming, pickling. Or, adding them to soup, stew and curry. Also, bamboo sprouts are available in varying shapes and forms like fresh, dried and canned products.
The best is not to consume raw bamboo shoots because they contain cyanogenic glycosides which are natural toxins. If you consume too many raw bamboo shoots without treating them first, it will make you uncomfortable. However, the toxins can be destroyed by cooking, boiling and canning.
How to prepare bamboo shoots?
Most people boiled bamboo shoots for 1.5-2 hours to destroy the natural toxins before eating them. Japanese like to use nuka, rice husks (a powder form), when boiling the bamboo shoots. It is because it helps to remove the bitterness.
Since, it is not easy to find rice husks in the USA. Therefore, in this fresh bamboo shoots recipe I am going to share a simple and easy way to prepare fresh bamboo shoots by using rice water instead.
What is the difference between fresh and canned bamboo shoots?
For the fresh bamboo shoots, you need to remove the layer of sheaths to reach the tender, edible core, then cut off the tough spots and clean them. After that, boil them or pressure cook them. However, canned bamboo shoots are processed and preserved products that are ready to use and consume.
Cooking tips for how to cook fresh bamboo shoots:
- Peel the skin and use washed rice water to boil them for 1.5-2 hours if using the top stove method. Then, rinse them with water after cooking.
- When using an instant pot pressure cooker, manual for 45 minutes and natural release.
- Push down the bamboo shoots and cover with washed rice water. Rinse under water when it is done.
FAQS:
How to remove the bitterness from fresh bamboo shoots?
Normally people add nuka rice husks like a powder form into water and boil them to remove the bitterness. Since it’s hard to find it in the states. In this how to cook fresh bamboo shoots recipe, I use washed rice water instead. It works fine too.
Where can I purchase fresh bamboo shoots?
Asian market normally has fresh bamboo shoots. But, I purchased mine through online from North Carolina.
How do you peel fresh bamboo shoots?
Remove the darker color sheaths by using a knife to cut from top to bottom a few times, then cut the top diagonally and use hands to peel off the rest of the sheaths. See details in the video.
How long do you boil bamboo sprouts?
It’s around 1.5-2 hours to boil them on the stove top. Using an instant pot pressure cooker is manual for 45 minutes at high pressure and natural release.
What do bamboo shoots taste like?
Actually, it’s plain and the texture is crunchy.
Instructions for how to prepare and cook fresh bamboo shoots in instant pot:
1. Remove the darker color sheaths by using a knife to cut from top to bottom a few times, then cut the top diagonally and use hands to peel off the rest of the sheaths. Use a knife to cut the bottom. See details in the video.
2. Next, wash the shoots and cut them into half if it is too long to fit into an instant pot pressure cooker.
3. Put 3 cups of rice in a bowl and add 9 cups of water. Rub the rice until the water is milky. (Rice and water ratio 1:3)
4. Drain the rice and just keep the washed rice water.
5. The following, put washed and peeled bamboo shoots into an instant pot.
6. After that, hold the bamboo shoots down while pouring washed rice water into instant pot until they are covered. Then, close the lid and vent. Push manual button, adjust time to 45 minutes at high pressure and natural release. Next, rinse them and ready to use or eat.
Enjoy this simple instant pot how to cook fresh bamboo shoots recipe! Also, check out these pickled mustard greens, stir fry water spinach, pickled Chinese cucumber, salty duck eggs, cashew shrimp and Chinese sticky rice dumpling recipes.
Instructions for how to prepare and boiled fresh bamboo shoots on a top stove:
- Remove the darker color sheaths by using a knife to cut from top to bottom a few times, then cut the top diagonally and use hands to peel off the rest of the sheaths. Use a knife to cut the bottom. See details in the video.
- Next, wash the shoots and cut them into half if it is too long to fit into a pot.
- Put 3 cups of rice in a bowl and add 9 cups of water. Rub the rice until the water is milky. (Rice and water ratio 1:3)
- Drain the rice and just keep the washed rice water.
- The following, put washed and peeled bamboo shoots into a pot.
- After that, hold the bamboo shoots down while pouring washed rice water into the pot until they are covered. Let it boil for 1.5- 2 hours with low-medium fire. Next, rinse them and ready to use or eat.
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How to prepare bamboo shoots
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker or a pot
Video
Ingredients
- 6 pieces Fresh bamboo shoots Raw fresh
- 9 cups Washed rice water (Enough for covering the shoots)
Instructions
Instant pot method:
- Remove the darker color sheaths by using a knife to cut from top to bottom a few times, then cut the top diagonally and use hands to peel off the rest of the sheaths. Use a knife to cut the bottom. See details in the video.
- Next, wash the shoots and cut them into half if it is too long to fit into an instant pot pressure cooker.
- Put 3 cups of rice in a bowl and add 9 cups of water. Rub the rice until the water is milky. (Rice and water ratio 1:3)
- Drain the rice and just keep the washed rice water.
- The following, put washed and peeled bamboo shoots into an instant pot.
- After that, hold the bamboo shoots down while pouring washed rice water into instant pot until they are covered. Then, close the lid and vent. Push manual button, adjust time to 45 minutes at high pressure and natural release. Next, rinse them and ready to use or eat.
Top stove method:
- Remove the darker color sheaths by using a knife to cut from top to bottom a few times, then cut the top diagonally and use hands to peel off the rest of the sheaths. Use a knife to cut the bottom. See details in the video.
- Next, wash the shoots and cut them into half if it is too long to fit into a pot.
- Put 3 cups of rice in a bowl and add 9 cups of water. Rub the rice until the water is milky. (Rice and water ratio 1:3)
- Drain the rice and just keep the washed rice water.
- The following, put washed and peeled bamboo shoots into a pot.
- After that, hold the bamboo shoots down while pouring washed rice water into the pot until they are covered. Let it boil for 1.5- 2 hours with low-medium fire. Next, rinse them and ready to use or eat.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to cook fresh bamboo shoots:
- Peel the skin and use washed rice water to boil them for 1.5-2 hours if using the top stove method. Then, rinse them with water after cooking.
- When using an instant pot pressure cooker, manual for 45 minutes and natural release.
- Push down the bamboo shoots and cover with washed rice water. Rinse under water when it is done.
Donna Rosas Carmona says
Sheaths are removed from the bamboo and cooked all the way through
Angela says
I’m using fresh bamboo that i cut from my yard. These are spring bamboo, and some are very small (1/2”) and some are larger (1-1/2”). I’ve peeled them as your (very good!) video showed. But they don’t need to cook for 1-2 hours do they? How long will they keep refrigerated once cooked? Can I then pickle some of them? Thank you!
Tracy O. says
When you use the top stove to boil the fresh bamboo shoots, I suggest simmering for least an hour to 1.5 hours to be safe. It is because raw bamboo shoots contain cyanogenic glycosides, natural toxins. The toxins must be destroyed by the cooking and canning process.
After boiling the fresh bamboo shoots, you can refrigerate them for 3-5 days. However, you can freeze them and it will last longer for a few months.
Yes, you can pickle them and it lasts longer too. Thank you for your comment!
Angela says
Thanks to you I now have LOTS of fresh bamboo in my freezer! I cooked them as you instructed, vacuum sealed the remaining shoots (those that I didn’t eat immediately, which we ate A LOT of!) and stowed them away in my freezer. I have never cared for the flavor of canned bamboo, and the fresh is FAR superior. I’m so excited! I’ve also read that I can also harvest shoots in the Winter. Any knowledge of that?
Tracy O. says
I am not sure about harvesting bamboo shoots during Winter time. Most of the people harvest them during spring.
JoAnn Black says
Great recipe. Can these be roasted. What kind of sauce can I dip them in?
Tracy O. says
Hi JoAnn,
Great question. I haven't tried roasted bamboo shoots before. Often we braise it with meat like pork or pork belly and mushrooms. Personally, I like to dip it with chili oil and soy sauce.
This is the recipe for chili oil: https://www.ohmyfoodrecipes.com/how-to-make-chili-oil/
Thank you!