Bamboo shoot recipes from the Chittagong Hill Tracts

Modern research has revealed that bamboo shoots have many health benefits such as improving appetite and digestion, weight loss and curing few diseases as shoots may possibly have antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Traditionally, people like to cook and consume fresh or fermented shoots with sidol or dry fish paste gravy with other vegetables, and sometimes by stir frying with dried shrimp. Bamboo shoot meat curry is also a popular dish now. Bamboo shoots are versatile and allow pairings with a range of items like noodles, fried rice, soup to dal.

How to process —

To prepare fresh bamboo shoots, trim the fibrous outer layers and excess leaves starting from the base and working on towards its tip. Trim away any tough portion at the base but reserve the tender leaves, as they are edible. Then dice the shoot to your desired sizes. Dip the cubes in a bowl of cold water to avoid them turning brown. As raw shoots contain toxins, cook the shoots uncovered in boiling, salted water for about 20 minutes to detoxify them.

BACHCHURI MALAH

Bachchuri malah or stuffed bamboo shoots is a traditional and popular dish to the indigenous people. Traditionally the stuffing is prepared with sautéed dry fish paste, but it can be prepared as one's preference with any minced meat or prawns, cheese etc. 

Ingredients

6-8 pcs whole bamboo shoots, boiled

¼ cup sidol/fish paste/shrimp paste

10-15 green chilies, made into a coarse paste

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

1 cup onion diced

½ cup lemon basil/coriander leaves/parsley/cilantro

Oil

Method

To prepare the stuffing, heat a pan on medium flame. Add 2 tablespoons oil, onion, chilli paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, shrimp paste and sauté for a few minutes until the oil separates. Add basil, sauté for another minute and set aside to cool down.

Take the shoots and make holes through it vertically by using a spoon and then stuffed with the sautéed stuffing. Set aside and heat a frying pan with oil in low-medium flame. Sauté the stuffed bamboo shoots for a few minutes until skin colour changes to brown. Serve with hot steaming rice.

PRAWN BAMBOO SHOOT STIR-FRY

An easy bamboo shoots stir frying recipe that can be paired with any meat or ground meat and with seafood as well.

Ingredients

6-8 pcs boiled bamboo shoots

8-10 pcs prawn

½ cup onion, chopped

1 tbsp garlic, chopped

5-8 pcs green chillies, slit

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp black pepper powder

2 tsp soya sauce

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

Method

Chop bamboo shoots vertically and discard prawn shells and set aside. Heat a pan on medium flame with oil. Add chopped garlic and sauté until brown. Add onion, chillies, turmeric powder, prawn and sauté for a few minutes. Add chopped shoots and soya sauce, black pepper powder and stir fry until bamboo shoots become tender. Adjust the salt. Garnish with any herb leaves. 

BACHCHURI BODA HOLA

This is another Chakma style 'hola' or stir-fry where traditionally dry shrimps and 'boda' or eggs are used to get the authentic flavour.

Ingredients

5-6 pcs boiled bamboo shoots, chopped thinly

2 eggs

10-15 pcs large dry shrimp

2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

5-6 green chillies, slit

¼ tsp turmeric powder

3 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Any herbs for garnishing

Method

Heat oil in a pan on medium flame. Add garlic and onion, sauté for a minute. Add turmeric, green chillies and dry shrimp, sauté for another minute until dry shrimp become crispy. Add thinly chopped bamboo shoots, salt and fry until shoots get tender. Add beaten eggs over the shoots and stir fry until eggs get mixed and cooked properly. Garnish with any herb leaves such as basil, coriander etc. Serve hot with steam rice.

DUCK CURRY WITH BAMBOO SHOOTS

Ingredients

1 whole young duck (approx. 1.5 kg)

6-8 pcs boiled bamboo shoots

2 cups chopped onion

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 cup oil

1 tsp turmeric powder

3 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 big cinnamon stick

5 green cardamoms

1 star anise

6-8 pcs green chilli

6-8 cups water

Salt to taste

Method

Clean and skin the duck. Cut into 3- to 4-inch-long pieces and set aside. Heat a cooking pot with oil on medium flame. Add onion and salt and fry until golden. Add ½ cup of water. Cook the fried onion for a minute. Add ginger garlic paste and fry. Add all the whole garam masalas and let fry for another minute. Add ½ cup water along with turmeric, red chilli and all powdered masala. Stir and cook for a minute until the spicy aromas fill the air. Add duck pieces and cook, stirring often until water goes and oil comes out. Add a little bit of water at a time and cook in the same process for 2-3 times.

Add bamboo shoots and let them sauté in the duck masala oil for a few minutes, stirring often. Add water, cover with lid and let it cook in low-medium flame until meat gets tender.  Adjust the gravy amount by adding water if needed. Adjust salt amount. Add green chillies and cook with a cover for another minute.

Food and Photo: Chiangmi Talukder Lena