Bamboo shoots, which are young shoots of bamboo, are ingredients that have long been popular in Japanese households, such as simmered dishes, cooked rice, and stir-fried dishes.  It is rich in protein and contains many vitamins in addition to dietary fiber and potassium.  There are many types of bamboo shoots, but the most popular one is Moso bamboo.  Many of them are large and have a good balance of bitterness and sweetness, and are characterized by a good texture.  It is cultivated in a wide range of land from Kyushu to Kansai, and it is also a feature that you can enjoy the season for a long time.  Bamboo shoots grow fast, reaching a few centimeters a day by the time they reach the surface, but after then, by the tenth day they can grow from a few tens of centimeters to even more than a meter.  Therefore, bamboo shoots are harvested as soon as  the head lifts the soil.  Bamboo shoots are said to be “drilled after boiling water”, and the amount of harshness increases sharply immediately after cutting and becomes hard, so it is necessary to cook, remove the lye, and prepare the bamboo shoots as soon as possible.

竹の若芽である竹の子は、煮物や炊き込みご飯、炒め物など日本の家庭で古くから親しまれている食材です。タンパク質に富み、食物繊維やカリウムの他、多くのビタミンを含んでいます。竹の子にも多くの種類がありますが、最もポピュラーなのは孟宗竹です。大型のものが多く、苦みと甘みをバランス良く兼ね備えていて、食感が良いのが特徴です。九州から関西にかけて幅広い土地で栽培されており、長い期間旬を楽しむことができるのも特徴です。タケノコの成長は速く、地表に顔を出す頃には１日当たり数センチメートル程度ですが、10日目頃には数十センチメートルから、時には1メートルを超えることもあります。その為、竹の子は頭が土を持ち上げた頃に収穫します。竹の子は「湯を沸かしてから掘れ」と言われるくらい、切断直後よりえぐみが急激に増加し、固くなるので、極力早いうちに調理やアク抜きし、下拵えする必要があります。