Vegetables

Bamboo shoot

タケノコ　たけのこ　takenoko

Also known astakenoko

At its best in Mar, Apr, May

Bamboo shoot (takenoko), Japanese vegetable
Bamboo shoot (takenoko) is at its best in Mar, Apr, May. It is in the market from Mar to May.

When it is at its best

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

In seasonAvailable

How to cook

Bamboo shoot: Wakatake-ni (bamboo shoot simmered with wakame)

Wakatake-ni (bamboo shoot simmered with wakame)

Simmered together with wakame. A spring staple, seasoned lightly so the dashi shows.

Bamboo shoot: Bamboo shoot rice

Bamboo shoot rice

Tips sliced thin, base cut in cubes, for two textures.

Bamboo shoot: Grilled bamboo shoot with kinome miso

Grilled bamboo shoot with kinome miso

Freshly dug, grilled in the skin with kinome miso. Very little bitterness.

How to choose

Pale brown, moist skin with few, low bumps at the base. Green tips mean it has grown too far and will be bitter.

Storage

Bitterness builds from the moment it is dug, so parboil the same day with rice bran and dried chilli. Once boiled, keep submerged in water in the fridge for four to five days.

Main areas

Good to know

Shirako bamboo shoots from Otokuni in Kyoto are grown under straw and mounded soil, which keeps them white and tender.

Back to the calendar

At their best around the same time