Buzz
During the lively spring rains, highlanders from Lang Son delve into the forest to uncover hidden bamboo shoots nestled beneath layers of tree leaves.
Indulge in Stir-Fried Bitter Bamboo Shoots with Smoked Pork in Mau Son
Vau trees typically grow in hilly areas with high humidity and abundant rainfall. They can reach heights of nearly 20 meters, with young trunks being pale green and turning gray-green as they mature. These trees are used for papermaking, handicrafts, cotton swabs, and construction materials.
In the mountainous region of Mau Son (Lang Son), bitter bamboo shoots, the tender young trunks of vau trees, are transformed into popular dishes among highland residents.
Late spring brings gentle drizzles, creating warm weather and moist soil ideal for tender bamboo shoots to emerge from the soft earth. Bamboo shoots are at their best when the buds are sharp and a few centimeters tall, hidden beneath fallen foliage.
Experienced bamboo shoot diggers often wander barefoot around clumps of bamboo bushes in the forest, sweeping aside leaves to find the budding shoots. They use their feet to sense the low shoots poking gently, without feeling any pain. Once spotting a shoot, locals use a hoe or machete to dig down, and with one strike, they have a satisfactory bamboo shoot. Sometimes, the shoots weigh up to 3 kg.
People from mountainous regions never worry about hunger or thirst when venturing into the forest. Bamboo shoots, when sliced at the base with a knife, have a sweet, fragrant taste that satisfies hunger and thirst at the same time.
Apart from 'digging', many also engage in 'picking' bamboo shoots. However, this method is only suitable for certain types of bamboo shoots, as the tall, slender ones are only edible at the tip. No one picks bamboo shoots from bamboo clumps because when they grow tall, they become extremely bitter.
There are two types of bamboo in the family: bitter and sweet. It takes a keen eye to spot the difference between them.
'If you see multiple layers of purple sheath on the skin of a bamboo shoot, it's bitter bamboo. The darker the purple, the more bitter it is. On the other hand, the sheath of sweet bamboo is brownish-yellow. Bitter bamboo shoots sprout earlier than sweet ones and are sought after by many discerning food enthusiasts. This type of food ranges from 35,000 to 50,000 dong per kg with the skin, and there isn't much available for purchase,' shared Mr. Nguyen Minh Chuyen, Head of Management at Mau Son Tourist Area.
With bitter bamboo shoots, locals can prepare various enticing dishes such as stir-fries, boils, grills, and smoked pork and bamboo shoot stew, but perhaps the most flavorful is smoked pork and bitter bamboo shoot stir-fry.
Ethnic villagers who have raised pigs for years, some weighing over a hundred kilograms, reserve the meat for the Lunar New Year. Part of the pork is offered in rituals and consumed during the Tet holiday, while the smoked meat is savored gradually.
Strips of pork belly, shoulder meat measuring half a meter, are salted and hung over a wood stove to dry slowly, enveloped in the distinctive aroma of smoke. After enough days and months, the skin will tighten, and the fat layer will be firm. Then, you soak and rinse it in warm water, scrub off the residual ashes, slice it, stir-fry with fresh bamboo shoots, lemongrass, chili, or garlic, and you have a delicious dish.
If you get the chance, you should experience going into the forest or down to the fields to plow, carrying young rice seedlings and planting. When hungry, having lunch or dinner with smoked pork and bamboo shoot stir-fry, wild vegetable soup is as interesting and flavorful as it gets. 'Meals during the harvest season are like this, they are simple and rustic like the mountain people,' said Mr. Chuyen.
Besides Lang Son, bitter bamboo grows naturally and is abundant in provinces such as Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Lao Cai, Yen Bai...
According to Nguyen Minh Chuyen - Huynh Phuong/Vnexpress
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourMarch 19, 2019
