This easy, no-cook(!) spicy bamboo shoot salad can be served as an appetizer (either cold or at room temperature). You can also serve it as a side dish with other stir-fries, braises, etc.
The flavor of the sauce is balanced, with spicy raw garlic and chili flakes, salty oyster sauce and light soy sauce, a little sugar, and a dash of tart rice vinegar. If you like, you can add a dash of Sichuan peppercorn oil for a little tingly numbing action!
I also like adding cilantro for freshness, but if you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can substitute chopped scallions.
What kind of bamboo shoots do I need?
The bamboo shoots we used in this recipe are spring bamboo shoots. As you can see, they don’t have the uniform look of the canned winter bamboo shoots that have been sliced into little rectangles.
They are thinner, with the segments of the shoots still visible. You can buy them in vacuum sealed packages, already cooked. There is no need to cook them again. You can dress them and enjoy them right out of the package.
The bamboo shoots are tender after boiling, but still have a bit of bite to them, giving them an overall refreshing texture.
If you can find fresh spring bamboo shoots, you can pre-cook them yourself in boiling water until tender. Do not eat them raw. They actually contain natural toxins (cooking neutralizes them).
How to Get the Right Texture
As you can see in this recipe, rather than cutting or chopping the bamboo shoots, I’m tearing them by hand. The reason for this is to get lots of irregular shapes and frilly edges that cling to the sauce and give this dish a more pleasing, varied texture.
Tearing the bamboo shoots is quite easy, as they’re quite tender out of the package. Don’t skip this step!
Ok, on to the recipe!
Spicy Bamboo Shoot Salad: Recipe Instructions
Tear the bamboo shoots into small strips with your hands.
Add the garlic and Sichuan chili flakes to a small bowl.
Heat the oil and pour over the garlic and flakes—they should sizzle and immediately smell fragrant.
Stir in the sugar, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, light soy sauce, and Sichuan peppercorn oil if using. Add the shredded bamboo.
Toss until the bamboo shoots are thoroughly coated in the dressing.
Season with salt to taste, and garnish with cilantro.
Spicy Bamboo Shoot Salad
Ingredients
- 7 ounces thin poached spring bamboo shoots
- 1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn oil (or to taste, optional)
- salt (to taste)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (leaves and stems, roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Tear the bamboo shoots into small strips with your hands.
- Add the garlic and Sichuan chili flakes to a small bowl. Heat the oil and pour over the garlic and flakes—they should sizzle and immediately smell fragrant.
- Stir in the sugar, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, light soy sauce, and Sichuan peppercorn oil if using. Toss with the shredded bamboo. Season with salt to taste, and garnish with cilantro.
