Comments on: Preparing Fresh Bamboo

By: Marc Matsumoto

Marc Matsumoto — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 04:19:19 +0000

In reply to bjbb. I'm glad to hear you're okay. Humans developed taste receptors for bitter compounds to warn us away from eating foods that can be toxic, so it's usually a good idea to listen to your tastebuds 😉

By: bjbb

bjbb — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 04:06:59 +0000

Thanks. l prepared some fresh bamboo unaware of the toxins. l did soak them for a while before cooking, though the taste was still rather bitter. I didn't have any problem though regarding digestion. But the bitterness prompted me to think l had better check into how to prepare it properly! Definitely l will try your method next time as l do love the texture.

By: Marc Matsumoto

Marc Matsumoto — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 11:53:48 +0000

In reply to Anne. Hi Anne, good luck! Bamboo shoots need to be consumed when very fresh (ideally the day it was harvested). Since I've posted this, I've stared cooking them in a pressure cooker. It consistently gets rid of the burning sensation in the back of the throat (that I'm assuming is the toxins), in about 30 minutes without rice bran. The cyanogenic glycosides break down with temperature and time, and since a pressure cooker is able to achieve higher temperatures the toxins break down faster.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 08:20:16 +0000

Hi! I’m an American living in Japan and walked by a neighbor selling bamboo roots and little bags of rice bran....the directions given to me were a little unclear, so thank you for posting this! I hope it turns out ok....I already had an allergic reaction by eating raw, unfamiliar foods....taro! I’ve learned to do a little research first 🙂

By: Marc Matsumoto

Marc Matsumoto — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 04:57:46 +0000

In reply to Nara. Hi Nara, it's so interesting hearing about how it's prepared in other cultures. Thanks for sharing!

By: Nara

Nara — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 15:36:57 +0000

So here’s how our people do it(I’m from Nagaland). First slice it into thin pieces and wash it thoroughly. Next get some ash from burned wood and clean that to get the charcoal and other impurities out. Put the ash and bamboo shoots in water filled to the brim. Close it and keep it for a week, or at least 3-4 days. When you open it, there will be bubbles formed. Take out the bamboo shoots and clean them. Next, let the impurities in the water which you soaked the bambooshoot in settle down and use the cleaner water at the top to cook the bambooshoot in. Use dried red chillies. Cook for over an hour. After it cooks, toast some sichuan peppers, crush them and sprinkle them. Mix well.

By: Marc Matsumoto

Marc Matsumoto — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 02:54:18 +0000

In reply to Andrew Mace. Hi Andrew, different types of bamboo have different levels of cyanogens, so it's possible the ones you're getting are relatively low in cyanogens, or that you've built up a tolerance to them. Time and heat break down these compounds, and a couple minutes is definitely not enough to destroy them, so you're playing a risky game as these compounds convert to cyanide in the gut.

By: Andrew Mace

Andrew Mace — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 06:33:29 +0000

2 hours. Seems excessive. I’ve eaten many times cooking it for only a couple minutes. 🤔