Why Fresh Bamboo Shoots Are Worth It
While pre-boiled bamboo shoots (takenoko) are available year-round in Japanese supermarkets, their flavor and texture can't compare to the real deal. Fresh bamboo shoots, only available in spring, have a subtle sweetness, crisp bite, and a fragrance that embodies the season itself.
Yes, the prep takes some work—but trust me, it’s worth every minute. When you handle fresh bamboo shoots yourself, you unlock a world of flavor and satisfaction that store-bought versions simply can’t offer.
In this post, I’ll show you how to select, boil, and peel fresh bamboo shoots, and share a recipe for kinome-ae—a traditional spring dish featuring bamboo shoots and squid dressed with a bright green kinome miso.
Let's start with the ingredients: How to choose delicious bamboo shoots
Fresh bamboo shoots have an exceptional aroma and sweetness. Paying a little attention to how you select them can make a big difference in the final product.
・The tips are yellow and tightly packed.
・The skin is shiny and has a good overall weight.
・There are few bumps at the base and no reddish-black discoloration
If you find bamboo shoots dug up in the morning, they are a spring treasure. Don't hesitate to take them home. 
Preparing bamboo shoots
Ingredients (for 1 bamboo shoot)
・Bamboo shoots (around 800g)
・1 handful of rice bran
・1 chili pepper
procedure
1.Cut the tip diagonally and make a vertical cut in the skin. If the base is tough, you can cut it. Making a cut will help it cook more easily and make it easier to peel the skin after it's cooked.
2.Put the bamboo shoots, plenty of water, rice bran, and chili peppers in a pot and heat. If you cover the pot with a lid, the food will cook evenly. Once it boils, turn the heat to low and simmer until you can easily insert a bamboo skewer into the base (approximately 1 to 2 hours).
3.Turn off the heat and wait until it cools completely.
4.Peel the bamboo shoots while washing off the bran under running water. The golden bamboo shoots will appear. Rub the shoots with the back of a knife to remove the remaining thin skin.
First, enjoy the ingredients with sashimi 
Freshly processed bamboo shoots,
Even just eating it as sashimi with wasabi soy sauce is an amazing taste.
The more you chew it, the more the slightly sweet, spring-like aroma fills your mouth.
Of course, rice cooked with ingredients is also a classic,
Today, we'd like to introduce you to a more sophisticated way to enjoy it .
Bamboo shoots and squid with buds
The scent of spring dances on your tongue
Ingredients (serves 2-3)
・100g pre-processed bamboo shoots
・Squid (for sashimi) 50g
・About 10 leaf buds
・Handful of spinach (for coloring)
・2 tablespoons white miso
・1 tablespoon mirin
・1 tablespoon sake
・1 egg yolk
How to make it
1.[Making Kinome Miso]
Put the white miso, mirin, sake, and egg yolk into a small saucepan and heat slowly over low heat while mixing . When it reaches the desired consistency, turn off the heat. 
2.Adding a green scent
Chop the spinach finely or blend it into a paste .
If you place it in boiling water and continue to heat it, tiny green particles will float to the top .
Carefully scoop out this part to add a fragrant and colorful accent.
3.Grind the leaf buds in a mortar and pestle, then add the miso from step 1 and the spinach from step 2 to make a fragrant green miso.
5.Dice the bamboo shoots and squid and quickly cook them in stock.
Enjoy the harmony of different textures: crunchy bamboo shoots and soft squid.
6.Mix the cooled ingredients with miso to complete your spring dish.
Summary: Gentle luxury that can only be found in spring
The effort of preparing bamboo shoots from scratch is
It feels like collecting the spring air one piece at a time.
The joy of preparing the flavorful bounty of the season with your own hands.
This spring, try these vegetables and enjoy the aroma, crunch and satisfaction that you can't get from boiled vegetables.
The meaning of the phrase "to eat what is in season"
You will definitely feel it in your body.
