With more than 70 bamboo species throughout the country, we can easily find bamboo thickets anywhere in Vietnam. Many could nurture one of the most popular and favored vegetarian foods for Vietnamese people, bamboo shoot harvesting.
Two main types of bamboo along the Red River bank near Hanoi
Bamboo appeared hundreds of years ago along the Red River’s left bank near Hanoi. They help protect the bank from erosion and other destructive acts. There are two main types of bamboo along the left bank: the spiny bamboo or thorny bamboo (Bambusa blumeana; Vietnamese name: tre gai) – this type of bamboo has been popular in Vietnam for thousands of years, and its primary purpose is to create protection. The bamboo stands are an essential building material that proliferates. However, this bamboo shoot is challenging to process as food due to its bitter flavors and its more toxic ingredients.
Another type of bamboo along the bank is Dendrocalamus lactiferous, also known as sweet bamboo (Vietnamese name: tre ngọt, tre Mạnh Tông). This type of bamboo has a light green stem with longer sections between the nodes than the spiny bamboo, large and bold green leaves, and significantly sweeter and more nutritious bamboo shoots.
Sweet bamboo shoot harvesting
Sweet bamboo shoots can be harvested eight months a year except in winter. They grow at the end of spring and bloom in summer and early autumn in Hanoi (from May to September). Shoots with lengths from 9 to 15 inches are the best for food.
Before harvesting bamboo shoots, you need to prepare long boots, gloves, a long-sleeved outfit, and a special weeding knife.
Cooking the shoots
After being harvested, the bamboo shoots need to be peeled from some outer layers of sheaths. The best method is to use your best kitchen knife to slice the prominent core of the shoot, with each slice 1 – 3 mm thick.
The sliced bamboo shoots must be pickled in diluted salt water (1 or 2 tsp of salt for one liter of water) for 24 hours. Then boil the bamboo shoots for at least 10 minutes and strain them off. Put these cooked shoots into cold water and use them as ‘fresh’ bamboo shoots. Fresh bamboo shoots could be put into the duck or chicken soup. Boil for a few minutes and serve with green onion.
The second way of processing and keeping fresh bamboo for a long time after 24-hour pickling is to boil it in water and let it cool down. Then, chilies are put into the pickling pot. After five days to one week, the fresh bamboo shoots will ferment and become sour. Serve them as a sour side dish. Besides, Vietnamese usually use these pickled, chilly bamboo shoots to cook with fish and create a mouthwatering soup.
Lessons learned from harvesting sweet bamboo shoots
- The best time to harvest bamboo shoots is summertime
- The preferred bamboo species for providing bamboo shoots is sweet bamboo with deep green and large leaves
- Processing bamboo shoots takes time, as toxic ingredients have to be removed.
- Well-processed bamboo shoots are delicious and nutritious
All photos in this article © Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Hai
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