Ingredient : Bamboo Shoots

Bamboo shoots are the edible young tips of the bamboo, seen slowly jutting out from the ground. Pinoys call it "labong", and is a common ingredient used around Asia, particularly China, India and Indonesia. It requires some initial preparation to remove some of the naturally occurring toxins (cyanogenic glycoside, also present in cassava. Apparently there is strong evidence that this one of the plants ways of defending itself from herbivores).

check it out in the asian store near you.

try not to be deceived by the bulk... you're gonna have to peel all those layers off!
Just like peeling off the ears of a corn on a cob, remove what appears to be skin. Starting from the base makes it a bit more easy.

size does not matter

After peeling off the thick leafy layers off, it will reveal a tender pale yellow core. Cut from the tip and you can judge by feel as to what would be the less tougher parts. Usually the lower parts are hard to cut, then you'd know when to stop. Slice thinly.

small circle...small circle....

Once cut, place them in a pot and add cold water. Bring to a boil for around 20 minutes, then replace with fresh water and do it again for another 20-30 minutes. The shoots will remain crunchy, which is one of its great characteristics.

boil baby boil

When that's done, you can leave that cool and then toss into your favorite stir fry. If storing for use, boil for the third time with a generous amount of sea salt, let cool when done but don't throw the water away as it would keep well for a week in the fridge in this brine.

shown here stir fried with beef, brocolli, mushroom and spring onion

bamboo shoot nutrition data
This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Riboflavin and Zinc, and a very good source of Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper and Manganese, but is apparently high in sodium.