At our part of the world, there seems to be no person who does not know about bamboo.They grow extensively in thick forests. In Uttar kannad district we find them on the side of NH 17 while going to Yellapur . Tender bambooshoots are really tasty. But not everyone usually acquires taste for it.
Ever since I tasted this, I liked the taste and started to prepare many mouthwatering dishes – some traditional, some my own, using the same. Some people who taste them for the first time may feel some unpleasant taste/smell. But proper handling before use, removes the so called unpleasant taste.
Like many other vegetables, bamboo shoots should not be used directly. Outer layers are peeled and thrown out till we get the inner white portion. Then it should be cut into pieces.These pieces should be kept under water for atleast three days.The water should be changed daily. After the third day these pieces can be taken out of the water and can be used in various dishes. Some people keep these pieces in salt (no water added). Thus they can be preserved for months together.Fresh bambooshoots are available only in early rainy season. Amongst various preparations of bamboo shoots,we like keerla(bamboo shoots in Konkani) sukke very much.
Ingredients: 1 cup finely chopped bamboo shoot pieces 3/4 cup grated coconut 4 – 5 red chillies 1 tea spn coriander seeds 1 tea spn urad dal 1/2 tea spn tamarind 2 tea spn jaggery Oil 1/2 tea spn mustard 4 – 5 curry leaves Salt
Method: Cook bamboo pieces in cooker with a little of water. Heat 1/2 tea spn oil and fry coriander seeds and urad dal.Grind them with coconut,jaggery,red chillies and tamarind by adding just sufficient quantity of water. (Do not make the masala too watery). Heat remaining oil and fry mustard and curry leaves.Add cooked bamboo pieces and ground masala. Add salt and cook till masala is done and the dish becomes almost dry. Serve as a side dish with rice or with chapatis.
As we like fish very much, we try to get as frequently as we can, though most of the weeks that gets confined to Sundays. We hardly find fish of indian variety here. Though we find Pomfret at Indian stores, it will be frrozen one and not fresh from sea. However for the sake of taste buds, I take this, as an acceptable compromise.
There are couple of varieties of preparation, I like to try frequently. Grilled fish is one of them. Among different types, Salmon is one which I tried many times and it has come out perfect.
Ingredients: 1 pomfret (clean and put some deep slits on both sides) 1 tea spn chilli powder A pinch turmeric 1/2 tea spn garlic 1 tea spn ginger 1/2 tea spn garam masala 1/4 tea spn coriander powder 1/4 tea spn cumin powder 5-6 curry leaves Lemon juice(about 2 tbl spns) Salt
Method: Mix all spice powders, ginger garlic, salt. Add lemon juice to make a paste. Cut the curry leaves into two and add this to the paste(do not make a paste of curry leaves). Apply this to the fish. Keep it aside atleast for 1hr. Heat the grill pan and grill the fish till it is cooked. Serve hot.
Serves : 1-2 Preparation time : 20mins
