The flavor potential of takénoko can be awoken in many ways. Indeed, bamboo shoots easily become the focus of a menu, served in perhaps six or seven ways at the same meal: a veritable bamboo banquet! The verb tsukusu in Japanese means to consume entirely. A menu built around a single ingredient, such as takénoko, using it completely would be called Takénoko-Zukushi (a quirk of Japanese locution changes the initial tsu sound to a zu when preceded by another word).
The aroma of freshly prepared takénoko is elusive…vaguely reminiscent of just-plucked corn, a bit like artichoke hearts. If all you have ever eaten until now has been canned bamboo shoots you will be utterly amazed at the difference.
Hunt down fresh takénoko with earth still clinging to them. Scout out Asian groceries near you: depending upon your climate expect to see them come to market as early as March or as late as June. Once you locate a source, I highly recommend you buy two or three (total weight about 2 and 1/2 pounds) and cook them together in the same pot, Once parboiled they can be used in many dishes.
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Elizabeth Andoh A Taste of Culture Culinary Arts Program Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-0095, Japan
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