My Favorite Bamboo Shoot Recipe with Coconut Milk

When I was a kid we lived in the farm near the river. The river was very important to the people in in the farm because it supported the everyday drinking water of every household. Kids usually were there to swim and play with their parents whom washing the clothes. In the river bank, there were vast of bamboo tree. So high and bowing side to side when the wind blows. One day my mom wanted to cook the bamboo shoots with coconut milk. Mostly ingredients was gathered fresh from the farm. Bamboo shoots were mostly seen at the foot of the tall bamboo tree. We always have the fresh squeezed thinly sliced bamboo shoot. The saluyot leaves were everywhere and you just need to get the top soft leaves. The coconut milk was freshly squeezed from it's pulp. The shrimp was fresh from the river. The okra and onions were always available in the vegetable garden near our house. But of course, the salt, pepper, garlic, oil and rice were bought from the small (sari-sari) store nearby.

Ingredients:

1 cup clean and sliced shrimps

1 tablespoon garlic; minced

1 medium onion; chopped

1 1/2 cup rice water (at least wash 2 cups of rice)

1 cup freshly squeezed coconut milk or canned coconut milk

1/2 cup saluyot leaves / fern leaves

2 1/2 cups bamboo shoot; sliced in strips

1 1/2 cup sliced okra

2 tbsp. olive oil / coconut oil

1 tbsp. fish sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

Slice the bamboo shoots 1/8-inch thick, then squeeze out the juice. Set aside the bamboo shoot. You could also use canned bamboo shoots.

Sauté garlic and onion with olive / coconut oil. Wait till it's light brown then add shrimps, then quickly simmer with fish sauce. Add bamboo shoot and rice water. Boil until bamboo shoot gets tender. Add coconut milk, bring to a boil, then simmer. Add saluyot leaves or fern leaves and okra. Add seasoning according to taste. Cook until done. Serve with rice on the table.

This recipe will serve atleast 5-8 person.