How to Cook Bamboo Shoots

Bamboo shoots are a vegetable used in Asian dishes such as stir-fries. Raw bamboo shoots taste very bitter unless they are prepared properly. Clean and boil raw shoots first before adding them to a recipe. Incorporate the shoots into any dish that uses vegetables to give it a unique flavor.

Ingredients

Pork Stir-Fry

1 cup (250 ml) sliced bamboo shoots
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
4 oz (110 g) ground pork
1 clove garlic
1 small onion
2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce
1 red chili pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) rice vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) chicken broth
1 tsp (5 ml) rice wine
1 tsp (5 ml) salt

Makes 4 servings

Vegetarian Stir-Fry

2 tbsp (30 ml) toasted sesame oil
2 dried chiles de arbol or dried cayenne chiles
¹⁄₂ lb (0.23 kg) king oyster mushrooms
1 ½ cups (375 ml) sliced carrots
¹⁄₃ lb (0.15 kg) long beans
¹⁄₂ lb (0.23 kg) bamboo shoots
2 tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce

Makes 6 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Boiling Raw Bamboo Shoots

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1
Wash the bamboo under running water. Move all of the shoots to the sink. The water temperature doesn’t matter, so keep it lukewarm for safety. Rinse each shoot to remove any dirt on it.
- If you are using canned or vacuum-sealed bamboo shoots, rinsing is all you need to do. The shoots are pre-cooked, so you can use them right away in any recipe.
Place the shoots flat on a cutting board. Hold a sharp knife flat against the shoot’s top end. Work the knife underneath the shoot’s rough, green outer layer. Cut from the top all the way to the shoot’s bottom end.^{[1]XResearch source}
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Use the cut you made to get your fingers underneath the tough outer layer. Pull the bamboo and the outer layer in different directions to separate them. Continue peeling off the outer layer until you see the white inner portion.^{[2]XResearch source}
Touch the bamboo with your fingers. The white inner flesh should feel soft to the touch. If it doesn’t, cut and pry off another layer. Repeat this until you reach a layer that feels soft to the touch.^{[3]XResearch source}
5
Slice about 1 in (2.5 cm) off the root end. The root is the shoot’s rounded, wider end. Measure about 1 in (2.5 cm) and cut all the way through the shoot. This part is too bitter to eat, so throw it out.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Check to make sure you have removed all of the tough or woody parts on the stem. It should feel soft as well.
Set a cooking pot on the stove. If you can’t fit the shoots in the pot, slice them lengthwise 2 or 3 times. Leave enough space to fill the pot with water.
7
Cover the shoots with water. Fill the pot with enough lukewarm water to cover the shoots. You want the water level to be at least 1 in (2.5 cm) above the shoots. Plain water is fine for cooking shoots, but consider using rinsing water from rice to make it more authentic.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Rinsing water is made by submerging rice in water in a separate bowl. You can cook the rice to serve along with the shoots.^{[6]XResearch source}
8
Boil and simmer the shoots for an hour. Turn the heat up high and wait for the water to boil. Once it does, adjust the heat to keep the pot at a simmer. Leave the pot uncovered and let it simmer to cook away the bamboo shoots’ bitter flavor.^{[7]XResearch source}
- You don’t have to stir the shoots around in the pot, but check occasionally to make sure they are still covered by the water.
9
Check the shoots for softness with a skewer. Before turning off the heat, poke the shoots with a skewer. If the shoots are done cooking, the skewer will go through them without resistance. You can also try cutting one with a knife to check this.
- If the shoots aren’t done, let them cook for another 5 to 10 minutes before testing them again.
After the shoots finish cooking, turn off the heat. Don’t take them out of the water yet. Wait about 10 minutes for the shoots to cool off, then take them out using tongs or by draining the water into a collander.^{[8]XResearch source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Pork Stir-Fry

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Slice the cooked bamboo shoots into thin strips. Also chop up the onion, garlic, and chili pepper. Open the chili pepper pieces to scrape out the seeds.
2
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil to a wok or large pan. Turn the heat up to a medium setting and wait for the oil to get hot.
- Peanut oil works well in a stir-fry and can be used in place of the olive oil.
Stir the sliced bamboo shoots into the oil. After a few minutes, you should be able to smell the shoots cooking. They will also shrivel up from losing moisture. When you notice this, use a spoon to scoop the shoots out of the pan and set them aside.^{[9]XResearch source}
Pour the rest of the oil into the pan. It should heat up right away. You can turn the heat up to high in order to get the other ingredients done faster.^{[10]XResearch source}
Stir the cut-up ingredients into the oil. After about a minute, you should be able to smell the ingredients cooking.
Dump the pork in the pot, stirring it in with the other ingredients. Cook it until it browns and appears cooked through. Mix in the salt to season the pork.^{[11]XResearch source}
Pour in the wine next. Mix the ingredients around to coat them in it. Leave the pan to cook for another minute.
First, add the bamboo shoots back into the pan. Follow it with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chicken broth. Mix everything together to ready it for the final few minutes of cooking.^{[12]XResearch source}
For the final 2 minutes, stir the ingredients in the pot every few seconds. This activates and infuses the flavors in all of the ingredients.
10
Drizzle the sesame oil over the stir-fry. Gradually pour the sesame oil into the pan. Stir the ingredients one last time to distribute the oil evenly. As soon as you are done, serve and enjoy the stir-fry.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It should last a couple of days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cooking a Vegetarian Stir-Fry

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Cut the mushrooms, carrots, beans, and bamboo shoots lengthwise into slices 1 in (2.5 cm) wide. Also slice up the chiles, but don’t remove the seeds.^{[14]XResearch source}
Pour the oil into a wok or a large pan. Wait a couple of minutes for the oil to get hot.^{[15]XResearch source}
Place the chiles in the oil and let them cook until they become fragrant. This happens between 1 and 2 minutes.^{[16]XResearch source}
They lose moisture as they cook, so watch for any signs of shriveling. If this happens, move on to the next step immediately.^{[17]XResearch source}
Mix in the carrots to get them coated in the oil. After about 2 minutes, they will have softened.^{[18]XResearch source}
Stir them into the oil, then wait between 3 to 4 minutes for them to soften.^{[19]XResearch source}
Move the cooked and sliced bamboo into the pan. Stir it to coat it in oil, then let it stir-fry for 3 more minutes.^{[20]XResearch source}
8
Mix in the soy sauce and cook for 1 more minute. Pour the soy sauce into the pan and mix the ingredients to coat them evenly in it. Wait 1 last minute as the stir-fry finishes. Immediately serve and enjoy it.^{[21]XResearch source}
- Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for a couple of days.

Community Q&A

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Question
Are canned bamboo shoots considered raw, or have they been cooked prior to canning?
Moses Shuldiner
Community Answer
Canned bamboo shoots are well cooked before canning. Raw bamboo shoots contain a toxin that is destroyed by heat.
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Tips

Bamboo shoots taste bitter unless you remove the root and outer layers of skin.
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Helpful1 Not Helpful0
Use raw shoots as soon as you buy them. They become more bitter over time.
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Helpful1 Not Helpful0
Canned and vacuum-sealed shoots are pre-cooked and can be added immediately to any recipe.
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Helpful2 Not Helpful1