We are forever receiving gifts from our neighbours and their gardens. In spring the local people forage through the bamboo forests and dig up these tasty delicacies, takenoko. If you eat them in the first two hours of being picked, you can enjoy "takenoko sashimi" or raw bamboo shoot with soy sauce and wasabi. If they are not that fresh then it is best to peel it, boil it, and use it for a number of dishes like, "takenoko gohan" (takenoko rice) and "nimono" (veggies boiled in a simple Japanese broth).
Here is Yasu's yummy nimono recipe:
What you need:
1 takenoko (peeled, cut, and boiled in advance)
2 carrots
1 atsuage (friend tofu)
4 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs sugar
2 tbs mirin (sweet cooking sake)
1 tbs sake (Japanese rice wine)
400 ml of stock made with water and Japanese dashi (katsuo or kombu)
Boil everything together for about 30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Turn off the heat and let it cool in the pot. It's even better the next day!