takenoko-gohan
On Monday, I came home from school carrying 3 bamboo shoots. The shoots were each about 18” long, 2” in diameter, and smelled like young corn plants. They had been harvested by Mr. Hiroshi Tanaka, my school’s former vice principle [and an integral part in my smooth adjustment to Japan]. He’s quite the outdoorsman and in the spring, likes to hunt for bamboo shoots.
After receiving extensive instructions from my supervisor, I endeavored to make takenoko-gohan. Takenoko literally means “bamboo’s child,” and gohan means “rice.”
In order to make takenoko-gohan, the bamboo shoots must first be prepared.
After husking, the shoots are boiled [whole] for 20 minutes in the cloudy, white water that results from washing rice. [While the shoots are boiling, cook the rice that you just washed.]
After 20 minutes is up, turn off the heat and let the shoots cool in the cloudy water.
The purpose of boiling the shoots in the rice-water is to remove the bitterness of the shoots. Eating a bitter bamboo shoot is like eating a green banana [I speak from experience].
After the shoots have cooled, cut them into long, thin slices about 1/2” wide by 1/8” thick. Boil the slices in a mixture of water, mirin [Japanese cooking sherry], shoyu [soy sauce], and 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar. Boil until the bamboo has absorbed the brown coloring of the shoyu and is tender.
Last, add the bamboo shoots to the cooked rice and serve in bowls.
It was ugly, but delicious.
20:07
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