My husband loves to eat Bamboo Shoot. My blogger friend, Alice who lives in Japan, has Bamboo Shoots growing in her backyard. How cool is that?
The shoots are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, both fresh and canned version.
The following is stir fry bamboo shoots with mushroom and garnish with colorful chilies. I used stock to cook the shoots.
Additionally, bamboo leaves can be used as wrappers for zongzi, a steamed dumpling which contains glutinous rice and other yummy ingredients. The recipe I used was adapted from kuali. Instead of using the blue color extract from bunga telang, I used, “black glutinous rice”. The translucent square piece is not lard. It is a piece of winter melon. The dark red color is from black glutinous rice. The filling is Nyonya Pork Stew.
It is the Zongzhi season. Here are a couple of blogs that has recent articles on ZhongZhi: HaveFoodWillTravel, LittleCornerofMine.
Stream in the Hip Desert 新荒漠甘泉; Hip Food 
Like your twist on the dumpling. I see some three layers pork! How do you like the black glutinous rice?
Black glutinous rice bak chang? Curious to eat it but cannot get that type of rice here. Cooking rice dumpling is out of the question for me. No time. Somehow when it comes to summer, I like to eat Malaysian food and so did my Malaysian friend over here.
Dear Little Corner of Mine,
I fried the three layer pork prior to making the stew so, most of the unhealthy fat were drained off. 🙂
I love the combination of black glutinous rice with white glutinous rice in Chang. A great thing about Chang is you can improvise the old recipes and create your own filling. Sometimes, I used left-over Pork Stew, add some mushroom, chestnut and winter melon and turn left-over dish into yummy Chang. I also like to make sweet Chang with black glutinous rice, sugar and coconut milk.
Dear Alice,
It does take a long time to wrap but I don’t make many. I just make enough for my family to eat. Usually Thai Restaurant serves black glutinous rice dessert with coconut milk. Are there Thai Restaurants in Japan?
I can eat Malaysian food all year round but I can understand that you like to eat Malaysian food when it comes to summer time. Perhaps the heat reminds you of home?
I can’t get fresh bamboo shoots here….I miss it!
Dear Steamy Kitchen,
Here’s an opportunity. If there is enough Asian population, perhaps, you can team up with Ranch 99 and open up a gourmet shop selling unique Asian produce.
Wow, I’ve never seen fresh bamboo shoots before – only from a can!
It looks a bit purplish instead of red.
I heard it’s not advisable to eat so much bamboo shoot because they are difficult to digest. (unless you are a panda, ha ha)
Your bamboo shoots look artistic, MrsHBT.
Your industriousness amazes me every time.
(May I ask why you use question marks in your title?)
Can’t get the ‘chang’ leaves and glutinous rice here in this small Swiss town. The closest thing is grapevine leaves. Maybe if I go to Zurich… I look forward to eating ‘mah chang’ and ‘hum yoke choong’ in M’sia in late August.
I only made Coconut Barfi yesterday, a kind of candy (you can see it in my site).
Dear WokandSpoon,
Only certain Asian stores sell fresh bamboo shoots here.
Jonzz,
My Black Glutinous Rice do look purplish. You said, “Don’t eat too much Bamboo Shoot”, my Mom said that as well.
“Unless you are a panda, ha ha”, that is a good one, Jonzz. I will share with my husband that joke the next time he gobbles a plate full of bamboo shoots.
Dear Argus,
When I cut open the Bamboo Shoots, I was amazed at how beautiful it is. Bamboo Shoots is an art in itself, I did not have to do much to present its beauty. Just like when I photograph my kids, I don’t have to do much to present their beauty.
Thank you for saying, “Your industriousness amazes me every time.” You are very kind.
The question marks appear on your screen probably because you do not have Chinese software installed on your computer. I have a few readers who prefers to read in Chinese. So, having a few Chinese Characters help them understand my article a little faster.
Bamboo leaves are cheap, light and almost never go expired. I wonder if they sell Bamboo leaves in Zurich, I don’t think the Grapevine leaves will have the same fragrance. I read your article on Coconut Barfi. I like the color change in your photo, nice effect to reflect what you have written.
Dear Mrs HBT, Nature is marvellous in its simple beautiful details, isn’t it?
Thanks for your explanation of the question marks. It should’ve occurred to me, but I’m full of sweet coconut candy today. ^_^ You mean you’re also fluent in writing, typing and reading Chinese? Now that’s also pretty amazing. I’m one of those Chinese illiterates who know more German than they know Mandarin, unfortunately, because of my former school system and the people around me couldn’t speak much Mandarin as I was growing up.
Thanks for your comments on my coconut barfi. My language teacher couldn’t stop eating it. 🙂
Black Glutinous Rice for chang? hmmm interesting concept. Are they sweet? I never had a savory dish from black glutinous rice, in fact my husband never even has the sweet black glutinous rice dessert. Don’t think i have time this year to make chang but definitely keep this in mind when i am planning to make one.
Dear Argus,
I am, as the Chinese saying goes, “half pail of water”. I am not fluent in written Chinese. I recognize a few Chinese Characters because my parents sent me to Chinese school when I was younger.
These days, I use the Microsoft Outlook translator function to translate from English to Chinese and then cut and paste the characters to my article. Sometimes, if my husband is around, I would ask my husband to help me out because he is fluent in written Chinese.
I think it is wonderful that you know the German Language.
As I mentioned to you earlier, I do enjoy reading your articles as well as the comments you leave me. So, it was my pleasure to leave a comment on your coconut barfi treat. Your husband (your language teacher), is very fortunate to have you as a wife.
Dear Cocoa,
I got the idea of using Black Glutinous Rice from eating “Fan Tuan” when we were in Richmond Canada, vacationing. “Fan Tuan” is a Taiwanese specialty snack.
Black Glutinous Rice is not sweet but I usually add a little sugar to make it sweet. It works perfect as a Nyonya Chang because Nyonya Chang is famous for its sweet as well as its saltiness. You can find Black Glutinous Rice in Thai Restaurant as a dessert item.
Mrs HBT, you’re so funny. My German language teacher is an Austrian woman. Sometimes I bring the bread, cakes & cookies I’ve baked to class so my classmates and teacher can be my ‘guinea pigs’.
My other half only speaks a few sentences of German to me each day. I’m still very poor at it so most times I don’t understand or catch what he says. I try to respond but he, in turn, cannot understand much of what I say. 😀
When my parents-in-law visited, it was ‘two full pails’ versus my ‘quarter pail’ as they speak only German. It was fun and funny though, and I was forced to learn a few phrases rather quickly. 🙂
I’m very glad to know you enjoy my writing. I like yours, too. Thanks, Mrs HBT. ^_^
Got to say that your ZhongZhi looks very unique especially the combination of purple and black which I never seen before. Usually here in KL, we have nyonya Zhong which is purple and white.
It is very tempting and exciting creation….
Dear Argus,
I cannot imagine why would anyone say bad things to you…. however, sometimes, it may be a blessing in disguise if one does not understand what their spouse or their in-laws is saying. 🙂
Big Boys Oven,
I will replicate purple and white next time. It should not be too hard.