Bamboo Food
History of Food Use:
The use of bamboo as a food-stuff dates back to when civilizations first came upon bamboo – as no stone was left unturned to find sustenance. Though bamboo is plentiful around the globe, its’ main natural concentration occurs in Asia, from the Himalayas to the southern reaches of China, through the Indonesian archipelago, through the majority of South America, and in the central part of Africa. Though this is relevant in its’ relation to show where there was access to bamboo as food, one finds that certain cultures are and were more prone to use it in their diet than others. The reasons for adoption or not relate mainly to traditions, cultural and medical beliefs, and what other food items were abundantly available.
The edible part of the bamboo comes from the culm, as the new bamboo stalks shoot up from beneath the ground surface. Though you can remove the culm once the growth is visible, it has been shown that the bamboo shoots taste best when are extracted before they see sunlight (ie: still underground). Extracting before this above ground growth has also been shown to have an effect on protein and amino acid content, with a higher level of both below ground than above. To physically extract the edible part of the bamboo, dig up the culm and use an axe or a knife to cut above the root base. Once removed, cut the culm section in half, and peel down the leaves (similar to peeling an artichoke to get to the heart). Both the core material and the leaves are edible, though it is important to parboil any part that will be eaten, as this will effectively cleanse it for ingestion. Once cleaned, the bamboo can be added to any dish, though adding to stir frys and soups tend to be the most traditional method of presentation. In addition though, they can be canned, dried and salted, or cooked as a desert. As bamboo is growing more popular in the global context, new bamboo food developments seem to be popping up almost daily.
Regionality of bamboo food stuff:
US: There are 2 main species of bamboo that are native in the US, Arundinaria Gigante (ie: Giant bamboo) and Arundinaria Tect (ie: Switch Cane), though the main edible genus found in the US is Phyllostachys which was import from China. This genus has over 60 species, all of which are edible, and can be found now in the US. By harvesting these culms, not only does it provide suitable food items mainly for ethnic cuisine, but it also controls the spread of the running culms which can prove destructive in certain locations if left unattended.
Himalayas/India: In the Himalayas and in certain parts of India, the bamboo is typically either fermented with turmeric and oil, and then added to traditional dishes with a starch base of potatoes, or it is chopped finely into strips, used in soups, and even meshed with flour to create chapatti types breaks or pancakes.
China: China reigns king/queen of edible and medical bamboo, due to abundance, tradition, and diet. With regards to its inclusion as a food item, it is available in almost every formulation available. This would include every sort of food, from pickled bamboo spears and julienned stir-fry versions, to bamboo snack chips and ice cream. For beverages, there is bamboo beer, soda, and even mixed bamboo and fruit juices. Medicinally, bamboo has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a low calorie source of potassium, as well as a good source of protein and nutrients.
