Bamboo shoots are the young bamboo plant harvested just after emerging from the ground, before it makes it’s skyward journey to become the exotic looking cane we all know. There are many different varieties of bamboo shoots, all with their own characteristics. They tend to take on the flavor of what they’re cooked with and exhibit subtle hints of sweet vanilla or earthy grass. They look like a fat asparagus and have a flavor that has been compared to artichoke, jicama, and asparagus.

Crisp and sometimes woody at the base, they become softer and more delicate as you move toward the top. The entirety of the bamboo nodes exist in compressed form in the shoot, so they contain small patterned pockets in the interior which can provide wonderful spaces for catching sauce or being stuffed.

Prep: There are several ways to cut bamboo shoots, but the fastest way is to cut the top quarter off, then slice the shoot in half vertically. The tough outside sheath leaves can then be peeled off in a single motion by bending them back. Everything that is white or light green on the inside is edible - both the shoot proper and the fine inner sheath leaves. They can be cut vertically, horizontally, or on the diagonal for a variety of forms.

Many bamboo will be bitter or acrid and will need to be boiled in an open pot for about 10 minutes and the water thrown off. A few varieties may need this done more than once, while some don’t require it at all. After that, your imagination is the limit as they can be used in salads and soups as well as stir-fried, baked, grilled, broiled, pickled, and sautéed.

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