Rebung or bamboo shoot has a very strong pungent smell. Eating it is an acquired taste. It can be stir fried with sambal prawns or stir fried with a combination of other vegetable (in this case, usually the canned one is use) or it can be cooked in curry. My mother-in-law's maid planted some bamboo plants outside the house and has harvested quite a number of shoots for cooking. However, in the cities, we have to purchase them from certain vegetable sellers as not all of them sell these bamboo shoots.
We cannot cook the bamboo shoots immediately when we buy them from the market. We have to get them ready. Firstly, just rinse the bamboo shoots. Then, julienne them or cut them across to get round pieces. Next, boil a pot of water. When the water has boiled, put in the cut bamboo shoots and continue to boil for ten minutes. Then turn off the fire and let the bamboo shoots soak in the water.The next day, pour away the water. Add clean water to the pot and repeat the above. Repeat the same on the 3rd day. By now the pungent smell would have been reduced greatly and the bamboo shoots are ready to be fried.
Ingredients
- 350 g prepared bamboo shoots
- 200 g shrimps, deshelled and deveined
- Blend: (The amount of chilies may be varied depending on how spicy you want your dish to be.)
- 10 red chilies
- 5 chili padi (optional)
- 5 dried chilies, wash and soak in hot water
- 1 small onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 inch shrimp paste (belacan)
- Oil for frying
- Seasonings
- 1/2 tsp salt (can add more if required)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsps light soy sauce
Instructions:
- Heat up oil in wok.
- Saute the blended ingredients until fragrant and the oil separates from the blended ingredients (pecah minyak).
- Add in the shrimps.
- When shrimps are half-cooked, add in the bamboo shoots.
- Stir until the bamboo shoots are covered evenly in the blended ingredients.
- Add in the seasonings.
- Stir and dish out.
- Serve with rice.