Last week, I went foraging for wild bamboo with a friend and it was an amazing experience. We were out there in a big beautiful bamboo forest, searching for shoots to bring back to my kitchen. Quite the nature day. If you want to read all about this adventure, check it out below..
Foraging for Wild Bamboo
Bamboo has many health benefits and is a staple in Asian kitchens around the world. Pickled bamboo is used as a garnish for soups and curries, in rice, a stir fry and it can be rolled into sushi as well. This sweet and sour pickled bamboo is just that… it is sweet, tart, tender and addictively delicious. If you are a fan of pickling flavors then you are going to love these tender little shoots.
Let’s get started…
How you acquire your bamboo is up to you, but whether you are working with fresh bamboo that you just poached or if you got some from a friend, once the bamboo shoots are properly boiled and tender, slice them into thin rings or ribbons.
In a microwave safe bowl, heat 1 cup of seasoned rice vinegar and 1/3 cup of granulated sugar for about 30-45 seconds. Give the sugar a whisk to help it dissolve and then add 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, 1 teaspoon of finely minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of whole peppercorns and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Add your thinly sliced bamboo into the pickling liquid and press it down a bit to ensure that all of the bamboo gets coated in the liquid. Cover the bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to 2 weeks.
This sweet and sour pickled bamboo is absolutely delicious and adds a beautifully tangy note to anything it is added to. I love it in soup and over a big warm bowl of rice, but it is best served along side sushi either in place of or next to the pickled ginger.
However you end up enjoying your pickled bamboo, I know that you are going to love it…
Sweet & Sour Pickled Bamboo
Ingredients
- 1-2 cups of poached bamboo, thinly sliced
- 1 cup of seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon of garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of whole peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Boil fresh, peeled bamboo until tender
- Combine 1 cup of seasoned rice vinegar and 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30-45 seconds
- Stir until the sugar has mostly dissolved and then add 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, 1 teaspoon of finely minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of whole peppercorns and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Thinly sliced the bamboo into rings or ribbons and add 1-2 cups into the pickling liquid.
- Cover the bowl tightly and chill for a minimum of 6 hours or up to 2 weeks.
