Takenoko たけのこ

Have you ever eaten Japanese ramen? If you have, you have probably eaten “takenoko”.

Takenoko are bamboo shoots and they are a popular springtime food in Japan. Bamboo shoots are bitter, so they need to be boiled with rice bran to remove the bitterness before they are eaten. After boiling, the hard outer layers are peeled off and the soft inner part is then simmered with broth and soy sauce as seasoning. Mixing it with rice, adding it to soup, or simmering it with other vegetables, takenoko is a typical ingredient in Japanese cuisine in the spring.

Typical takenoko are bamboo shoots we call “Moso-chiku” which are big and thick sprout of bamboo that shoot out of the ground in spring.

In Uonuma or other mountainous regions in Niigata, “nemagari-dake” shoots are common. They are small and slim.

Whichever kind of shoot you harvest, freshness is the most important factor. Cutting takenoko in the morning and cooking them as soon as possible is key to enjoying tasty takenoko dishes!