Pickled bamboo

This pickled bamboo keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator and makes a lovely addition to salads.

Pickled bamboo Credit: Kylie Kwong: Heart and Soul

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 x 700 g (1 lb 6 oz) fresh bamboo shoot
• ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 2 tsp fish sauce

Instructions

1. Cut the horn-shaped bamboo shoot in half lengthways, strip off the outer fibrous layers and then trim about 2 cm (1 in) off the base. Cut bamboo into 5 mm (¼ in) wide strips and add to a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Drain and refresh bamboo under cold water.
2. Repeat this process of boiling from a cold-water start, draining and refreshing twice more to remove any bitterness.
3. To pickle the bamboo, place vinegar and sugar in a small pan, and stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Then simmer, uncovered and without stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until mixture is slightly reduced.
4. Remove from stove, stir in fish sauce and the prepared bamboo.

 

Kylie Kwong: Heart and Soul premieres on Wednesday 21 November at 8.30pm. The series airs Wednesdays at 8.30pm on SBS Food (Channel 33). After they air, episodes will stream at SBS On Demand. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.