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Dish · From Bladwijzer

Bamboo shoot rice with soy sauce (takenoko gohan)

Name: Bamboo shoot rice with soy sauce (takenoko gohan)
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 600 g fresh young bamboo shoots (± 300 g once peeled); 300 g Japanese or other short-grain rice; 360 ml water; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp mirin (or 1 tbsp sugar); 2 spring onions, sliced into rings; 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Updated on 9 October 2026

Makes: serves 4
Time: 30 min + 40 min boiling + 25 min rice
From: Bamboo

Ingredients

600 g fresh young bamboo shoots (± 300 g once peeled)
300 g Japanese or other short-grain rice
360 ml water
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin (or 1 tbsp sugar)
2 spring onions, sliced into rings
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Method

Peel the shoots down to the soft, pale heart, cut off the tough base and cut the shoots into large pieces.
Never eat bamboo shoots raw: they naturally contain a poisonous compound. Boil them for 30–40 minutes in plenty of water, pour the water away and rinse them. Taste a piece: if it is still bitter, boil for another 15 minutes in fresh water.
Cut the boiled shoots into thin strips of about 3 cm.
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and leave to drain for 30 minutes.
Put the rice, water, soy sauce, mirin and bamboo in a heavy-bottomed pan and stir once.
Bring to the boil, cover and cook on a low heat for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for another 10 minutes.
Fold gently, scatter over the spring onion and sesame and serve as a main or side dish.

Storing: The rice keeps for 1 day in the fridge; reheat it thoroughly. Pre-boiled shoots keep for 4 days in the fridge, in water in a closed jar, or up to 3 months in the freezer.