For anyone who thought that bamboo was merely a garnish, or a salad at best, here is a hearty recipe that takes advantage of the sweet flavor of bamboo shoots as a compliment to the spiciness of the hot red chiles.
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For main dish:
8 medium-sized dried shiitake mushrooms (each about 2 inches in diameter)
1 pound lean top round steak
1 tbsp. salad oil
16 small dried hot red chiles
3 large carrots cut into about 3-inch long julienne strips
4 cups bite-size pieces cauliflower
1 pound parboiled sliced bamboo shoots
2 cans (about 8 oz. each) sliced water chestnuts, drained
Fresh Cilantro leaves
For sauce:
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 ½ tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp sugar
¾ tsp. cornstarch
Cover mushrooms with warm water and soak for 30 minutes, then drain. Cut off and discard stems; squeeze caps dry, thinly slice, and set aside. Cut steak with the grain into 1 ½ inch wide strips; then cut each strip across the grain into 1/8 in thick slanting slices. Set aside. Heat oil in a wok or 12-14 inch frying pan over medium high heat. Add chiles and cook, stirring, until chiles just begin to char. Remove chiles from pan; set aside. Add meat to pan and stir-fry until browned (1 ½ to 2 minutes); remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add carrots, cauliflower, and mushrooms; stir-fry for 1 minute, then cover and cook until carrots and cauliflower are tender-crisp to bite (about 3 minutes). Add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts and stir-fry for 1 more minute. Return meat and chiles to wok. To make the sauce, add 3 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 ½ tbsp dry sherry, 1 tbsp sugar, and ¾ teaspoon cornstarch. Stir until sauce boils and thickens. Garnish with cilantro.
Serves: 6
A delicious recipe by Mid Atlantic Bamboo
See other great recipes and kitchen talk under our Bamboo Flavors section.
