Bamboo shoots are a species of bamboo that only grows in high mountain forests. When the spring weather began to warm up, ethnic minorities in the upland districts of Lao Cai together brought baskets to the forest to get bitter bamboo shoots. Bitter is best at the beginning of the season, when the shoots are often very fresh and young, do not cause too bitter feeling and can process a lot of different dishes. Currently, mangosteen is not only a food in the daily meals but also a specialty dish favored by consumers in the plains.

Go to the forest to get bamboo shoots
At the beginning of the season, bamboo shoots are few but delicious and sweeter than bamboo shoots at the end of the season. To get the young and sweet shoots early in the season, upland people have to use hoes and spades to dig deep into the ground, when the buds have not yet sprouted from the ground. At the end of the season, the higher the papillary shoot will taste, the more bitter it is Vầu shoot. There are many types of bamboo shoots, some are small like fingers, bitter and sweet when eaten. This bamboo shoot grows in high mountain areas without digging like other types. As for the shoots as big as the calves of an adult, they have to dig deep into the ground to get them. Most purple-colored shoots are less bitter than yellow ones. Therefore, when buying bamboo shoots, buyers prefer to choose bamboo shoots.

Old shoots after being taken back
Ethnic minorities in mountainous areas such as Tay, Nung, Giay, Mong, Dao ... often go to get bamboo shoots and turn them into processed foods that are attractive and typical, such as stir-fried bitter bamboo shoots, poached, bamboo shoots, bamboo shoots, scolded ... Even bamboo shoots have appeared in many restaurants, bars and are dishes that tourists can not ignore every opportunity to come to Lao Cai Northwest, this is considered as is an indispensable specialty.

Preliminary processing of bamboo shoots for processing of dishes
The bitter bamboo shoots are very special, instead of people using other foods, the fried and boiled bamboo shoots both bring the taste to the people and bring them a new experience. . When sautéed with bamboo shoots, people do not stir fried bamboo shoots, but often add other forest vegetables to enhance the taste of bamboo shoots and also to enjoy when people do not see the bitter taste of bamboo shoots.

Fried bamboo shoots
With shredded bamboo shoots wrapped with ant eggs, or minced meat with the taste of spring rolls is a dish originating from the Giay and Tay ethnic groups, unique right from the outer shell. The type of bamboo shoots chosen for the leaf sheaths instead of spring rolls to be bitter bamboo shoots. According to the experience of perennial bamboo pickers, when there are thunderstorms in the early rainy season, it is also the time when bamboo shoots in the forest turn bitter. People picking bamboo shoots need to go deep into the forest, picking new shoots of bamboo shoots to make them crispy and sweet. Then bring boiled along with a little salt to reduce bitterness, then peel off the shavings, soft and tough like silk sheets to make the skin of the dish.

Bitter bamboo shoots with minced meat
Another dish that we can mention is the traditional boiled bamboo shoot, when eating this dish, those who eat bitter will feel very delicious and satisfy their taste, when making bamboo shoot sauce Bitter boiled is also quite picky, people use garlic, chili, batch, salt, MSG, ... and then stir the island together smoothly, when the dots will have a very rich flavor and make the bitter taste will also reduce. go.
The dishes made from bamboo shoots will be an unforgettable highlight of many tourists on their journey every time to the highlands of Lao Cai.
Posts and photos: Kim Anh