Thai fresh bamboo shoot
Thai Name: normai pai tong
Bamboo Shoots are shoots of the bamboo species, Bambusa Vulgaris and Phyllostachys edulis. The shoots are edible and are used in cuisines throughout Asia and parts of Africa. Bamboo Shoots are known as nor mai in Thai and can be found in a wide variety of Thai dishes.
The Bamboo Shoot is very popular throughout Asia and within the region it is used in a number of different ways. Bamboo shoots are fried and wrapped with vegetables for the Indonesian dish of lumpia, while in Vietnam they are shredded and used alone or in any stir fry dish. The shoots are the only vegetable ingredient in the dish pork chop soup.
Bamboo shoots are often used as a a pickle and are used in curries throughout India. In Thailand, one of the most popular dishes to use bamboo shoots is red curry with chicken and bamboo shoots (kang nor mai kai). This is a dish that can use fresh bamboo shoots or those that can be purchased in a can. The dish contains coconut milk, which gives the bamboo shoots a special taste when cooked together.
The shoots of the bamboo are usually harvested after two weeks when they have a tough exterior with a tender core and a sweet flavor, although this is quite subtle. To make the shoots ready for cooking, you need to peel of the outer core and then slice into thin strips. The bamboo shoots are then boiled several times to remove their woody and bitter taste, which is very difficult for digestion. If you choose to use canned bamboo shoots, they have already been boiled before.
There are a number of varieties that include red margin bamboo, sweet shoot, giant timber and big node. One other form of edible bamboo is mosu chiku.
Fresh produce from Thailand.