My partner Emma loves cooking programs and the other day we had a look at a DVD of Kylie Kwong famous program “Heart and Soul”.
One of the episodes featured pickled Bamboo Shoots.
Oh, I said, do ABC know they are promoting culinary usages of a NOXIOUS WEED?
I still haven’t done the Bamboo page for the Weedyconnection database, it is coming though.
In the meantime do check what the Department of Primary Industries has to say about the plant: “Two common species of bamboo, Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) and Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra), are declared noxious in most of NSW.”
The plant must be controlled according to the measures specified in a management plan published by the local control authority and the plant may not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed.
Pickled bamboo
* 1 x 700 g (1 lb 6 oz) fresh bamboo shoot
* 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 2 teaspoons fish sauce
Cut the horn-shaped bamboo shoot in half lengthways, strip off the outer fibrous layers and then trim about 2 cm (1 in) off the base. Cut bamboo into 5 mm (1/4 in) wide strips and add to a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes.
Drain and refresh bamboo under cold water. Repeat this process of boiling from a cold-water start, draining and refreshing twice more to remove any bitterness.
To pickle the bamboo, place vinegar and sugar in a small pan, and stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Then simmer, uncovered and without stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until mixture is slightly reduced. Remove from stove, stir in fish sauce and the prepared bamboo.
