I’ve consumed chili bamboo shoots from a jar as a staple condiment, garnish, and snack throughout my entire life. Up until recently, that is, but now that I’ve switched to homemade, I have to say, I’ll never go back to the jarred stuff!
Chili bamboo shoots are one of the best options you could choose if you’ve ever been pressed for time but craved a lot of flavor to accompany a Chinese meal. They have a satisfying umami pop, tender crunch of young bamboo shoots, and a spicy kick.
Few things make me happier than tucking into a bowl of noodles or rice with a stir-fry, or even just an egg and sliced avocado, with a generous side of chili bamboo shoots.
Make your own chili bamboo shoots at home for a much better flavor (tailored to your preferences! ), as much or as little as you need without the use of unpronounceable preservatives.
The homemade chili oil in this recipe is the biggest game-changer. Avoid purchasing chili oil from the store because it frequently has more color than flavor. When compared to freshly made chili oil that has been sizzled over deep red Sichuan pepper flakes while being infused with aromatics, it won’t even be close.
Naturally, using chili oil that you have already made will result in a much better bamboo shoot. It’s a no-brainer!.
How to store and how long do they last?
For up to two weeks, fresh bamboo shoots can be kept in the refrigerator. However, be aware that the sprouts may taste bitter if you keep them for a longer period of time.
By putting boiled shoots in the freezer, you can keep them for longer than two weeks.
Fresh shoots | from Instagram
When purchasing canned goods, make sure to check the printed expiration date on the can because they can stay fresh for almost a year. How long the sprouts will remain fresh is indicated by the date that is printed there. You can still consume them after the expiration date, but the quality and flavor might not be the same.
Pickling them is another option if you want to keep them around longer. Pickled bamboo shoots have a longer shelf life and superior consumer qualities, making them a very valuable product. Due to its prolonged shelf life, this delicacy has recently gained popularity outside of Asia.
What Bamboo Shoots Should I Use?
The bamboo shoots in brine that come in vacuum-sealed bags or canned bamboo shoots work best for this recipe.
The best option for that traditional jarred flavor is bamboo shoots in brine, even though the brine contains some chemicals. Although some people dislike the ambiguously medicinal edge that brining can add, I personally prefer this flavor.
Despite being packed in more pure water than bamboo shoots in brine, canned bamboo is only very slightly more difficult to work with. They appear to be made from slightly more mature bamboo, if I had to make a judgment based solely on taste.
I advise against attempting to use frozen bamboo shoots because they might be too soggy for this use. Fresh bamboo shoots could be used, but they would probably need to be blanched or brined first. My experiments with bamboo shoots at home haven’t gone very far, but if anyone has any insights, please share them in the comments!
Are the shoots healthy to eat?
Because they are a source of potassium, these shoots have clear health advantages because they help to maintain a normal heartbeat and blood pressure.
Additionally, including these sprouts in your diet will give you access to nutrients like iron, phosphorus, zinc, riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin.
The human body benefits from a balanced complex of essential amino acids, which is a component of bamboo shoots’ nutrition:
Despite the fact that 90% of the composition of bamboo shoots is water, we read that some argue that these vegetables are in the top 5 of the most useful products for the human body This is because, as we’ve seen above, it offers a wide range of health advantages.
Additionally, applying the plant externally speeds up the healing of wounds and prevents the emergence of inflammatory-purulent processes.
Because young bamboo shoots are so widely used in Asian cooking, researchers have examined the product’s makeup both raw and cooked.
The young plants contain 27 kcal per 100 g of calories, including the following:
The ratio of mono- and disaccharides (sugars) per 100 grams of food depends on the growing conditions.