I said boiling bamboo shoots (takenoko) is the first step for all takenoko dishes in previous article.  I’d like to introduce typical takenoko foods “Takenoko Gohan (Bamboo Shoots Rice)” at this time.

We can buy packed bamboo shoots in the market any time, so we can cook it any time.  But if you want to enjoy good smell of foods in addition to the taste, you should make it from boiling bamboo shoots.

Ingredients:

• 70g boiled bamboo shoots
• 360ml Rice
• 40ml Shirodashi soup stock (I used Somi Shirodashi)
• 440ml Water
• 1/2 piece of Usuage (optinal.  It’s a thin fried tofu)
• Bud of Japanese pepper tree (optinal)

How to make:

1) Rinse rice and soak it in water about 30 min.  Then it is in sieve and leave it about 15 to 30 min.

2) Slice bamboo shoots about 3mm thickness and cut Usuage about 1cm x 3cm.  If you put hot water to Usuage before cooking, the taste will be gently.  It is a technique to drain the oil which Usuage has.

3) Put rice, shirodashi and water in a pot and stir them, and put bamboo shoots and usuage.  Then place a lid and heat it on strong heat until boil.  Once it is boiled, turn to middle heat and leave it about 5 min.  After that, turn to small heat and leave it about 10min.  If there are still some water, keep heating for a while.  Stop heating and wait for 10 min.  Don’t take lid from a pan.

Mix ingredients and rice well and then serve it in a bowl, and then place bud of Japanese pepper tree on top of the rice.

Usuage may not be available out of Japan.  If you cannot buy it, you may use carrot.  However I have not used, some people use carrot, too.

I cooked 360ml rice at this time.  It is 2 “go” of rice.  Go is a traditional unit and 1 go is 180ml.  We still measure rice, sake or so with this unit.  With 1 go of rice, we can have 3 or 4 cups of bowl.  When we eat rice, we usually use small bowl and it is about 150 to 200g rice.

Enjoy meal!