Skip to content
FriendsPantry
Bamboo shoots

Vegetables · Stalks & shoots

Bamboo shoots

Tender young bamboo shoots, usually sold canned or vacuum-packed, adding crunch to stir-fries and curries.

Also called: canned bamboo shoots, sliced bamboo shoots, takenoko, sun

7 recipes with it

Photo: Fumikas Sagisavas, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

Bamboo shoots are the young, cone-shaped sprouts of certain bamboo species, cut before they toughen. Fresh shoots must be peeled and boiled to remove bitterness; most shops sell them pre-cooked in cans, jars or packs, sliced or whole. Fermented and dried shoots are used in Northeast Indian and Southeast Asian cooking.

How it’s used

  • Stir-fries and Thai curries
  • Hot-and-sour soup
  • Simmered in Japanese takenoko gohan
  • Fermented shoots in Nagaland and Assamese dishes

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, slightly sweet and earthy; canned can taste tinny.
Texture
Crisp and crunchy.
When cooked
Rinse or blanch canned shoots to remove any sour smell; they keep their crunch when cooked.
Sold as
canned, fresh, fermented, dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Pantry-stable. Keep unopened cans in the pantry; refrigerate opened shoots in fresh water and change it daily, using within a few days.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Fresh bamboo shoots contain cyanide-forming compounds; always peel and boil them thoroughly before eating.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
19 kcal
Protein
1.72 g
Carbohydrate
3.22 g
Fat
0.4 g
Fibre
1.4 g
Sugars
1.89 g

USDA FoodData Central: Bamboo shoots, canned, drained solids.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Jicama — Similar crunch; sweeter.

Related ingredients

Recipes with bamboo shoots

More stalks & shoots