Food & Receipts

Don’t just pour lukewarm water into the pot when boiling bamboo shoots: This is how to remove toxins and make the bamboo shoots soft and fragrant.

Fresh bamboo shoots are delicious and nutritious, but they contain harmful substances. Therefore, it is important to properly cook them before preparing. Do you know the correct method for boiling fresh bamboo shoots to remove toxins?

Administrator

16 March, 2024

Fresh bamboo shoots are rich in fiber, vitamins, and especially phytosterols that can prevent bad cholesterol. Therefore, eating fresh bamboo shoots can help filter the blood.

However, bamboo shoots contain a lot of cyanide, which is a dangerous toxin. After entering the body, cyanide is converted into cyanide acid, which causes dizziness, nausea, and, in severe cases, cyanosis and respiratory failure… Bamboo shoots have a very high cyanide content, about 230mg/kg of bamboo shoots, so the price per kilogram of bamboo shoots is very high. The tuber contains 230mg of cyanide, which can instantly kill two infants under one year old.

Need to know how to handle fresh bamboo shoots before boiling

Safe bamboo shoots handling

When you buy bamboo shoots, wash them thoroughly and soak them in saltwater or rice water for about 30 – 45 minutes. The thicker the rice water, the better. After soaking, boil the shoots in at least 2-3 times the amount of water for 15-20 minutes.

Note to open the lid while boiling bamboo shoots to allow the toxic substances to evaporate. Also, open the lid while cooking to allow the toxic substances to evaporate.

If you want to use bamboo shoots soaked in vinegar or salt, you must process them like this before soaking. Avoid using them from fresh, unprocessed bamboo shoots.

How to boil fresh bamboo shoots without bitterness and detoxification

– Boil the shoots multiple times

When you buy fresh bamboo shoots, peel off all the tough parts, then boil them in boiling water multiple times. After each boil, rinse with cold water. Boil until the shoots become soft and less bitter, then they can be used to cook dishes.

– Boil fresh bamboo shoots with sesbania

Boiling fresh bamboo shoots with sesbania is quite simple. First, when you buy bamboo shoots, you need to peel off the tough skin and then cut them into small slices and boil them. While boiling, add a handful of sesbania to the pot and boil once.

When the shoots are cooked, pour out all the water in the pot, then add cold water again, and only then remove the sesbania leaves. Rinse the boiled shoots with cold water again, then they can be used to cook dishes.

– Boil fresh bamboo shoots with rice water

Boiling bamboo shoots with rice water is also one of the ways to boil bamboo shoots without bitterness that many people apply.

This method is quite simple, you just need to boil fresh bamboo shoots with rice water and a few sliced chili peppers. Boil until the shoots are soft, then take them out, wash them thoroughly, then boil them again, boil 2-3 times, and then they can be used to cook dishes.

Notes when buying bamboo shoots

When choosing fresh bamboo shoots, choose tubers that have a rough shape, equal in size, not curved, crispy but not young, no yellow leaves, leaves are not withered, crushed, no spots on the surface, thin skin.

If the bamboo shoots have an abnormal white color and a strange smell, they should be discarded.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, bamboo shoots contain high levels of cyanide, a dangerous toxin. When consumed, cyanide can convert into cyanide acid in the body, leading to dizziness, nausea, and severe cases of cyanosis and respiratory failure.

Bamboo shoots typically contain approximately 230mg/kg of cyanide. This concentration is highly toxic, and just 230mg of cyanide is enough to fatally harm two infants under one year old.

When purchasing bamboo shoots, thoroughly wash and soak them in saltwater or rice water for 30-45 minutes. The thicker the rice water, the better. After soaking, use a substantial amount of water, at least twice or thrice the volume of shoots, and boil for 15-20 minutes.

Yes, it is crucial to keep the lid open while boiling bamboo shoots to allow toxic substances to evaporate. Additionally, if you’re using bamboo shoots soaked in vinegar or salt, ensure that they are processed properly before soaking and avoid using fresh, unprocessed shoots for this purpose.

There are a few methods: boil the shoots multiple times, each time rinsing with cold water until they soften and become less bitter; boil them with sesbania, a natural detoxifier; or boil them with rice water and sliced chili peppers, repeating the process 2-3 times.

When choosing fresh bamboo shoots, look for those with a rough shape, equal in size, crispy but not too young, and free from any yellow or withered leaves. Avoid shoots with an abnormal white color and a strange smell.