“One step backward two steps forward" - Rob Reiner
So that was what i did.
[Sunday, April 15th, 2018]
Ms. Chikamatsu picked us up at AP House at around 11am. She is a Beppu resident who owns a 2km square of abandoned farmland, and is looking for the help of APU students to utilize the land for greater use. We (my floor-MASTER Richard and I), saw the project post in Mini share, and signed up for it.
Her house is only a 10-minute ride from the dorm, so we were there before we knew it! Hiding inside the mountains lied a cozy wooden cottage (the one that springs to mind when talking about Japanese houses), with a huge land at the back.
There is a small garden at the where the family grows flowers, some herbs, vegetables and fruits. But as the pathway leads further back, we were ushered to a bamboo forest. I could imagine how Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura commute from one bamboo tree to another just like in the manga. Ms. Chikamatsu was kind enough to lend us boots and gloves, the go-to gear when doing gardening.
At first sight, harvesting the bamboo shoot might seem easy as pie. It was not until you finally get your hands down to work that you realize how arduous the process is! It is strenuous work, but the outcome is so satisfactory.
Steps to harvesting Bamboo shoots (taught by 大家さん - ooya san - landlord)
The one with its tipping points sprouting from the ground the shortest, is the most delicious and fresh ones
Once you’ve found a shoot, clear the surrounding soil with a shovel
With a spade, position it to the root of the shoot (push down with your foot if necessary)
Push down and wedge the roots from the soil. (*another technique would be to use the shovel as a lever and push it in the opposite direction)
Post-harvesting and processing procedure
Once harvested, you need to peel the sheaths of the bamboo until the center is found
Rinse of the soil and to the pot it goes! Bamboo shoots eaten directly after harvesting is edible, but if you leave the plant till few days later without processing it, the taste would go bitter and is poisonous to the body.
How to process the toxin inside the shoots a. Boil the shoot for about an hour. For better cleansing of the toxin from the shoot, it is advisable to use the rice water when you cook rice b. Put in chili (the more dried the better) c. After an hour, the bamboo shoot should soften a bit. Rinse the shoot again over cold water for a couple of times to make alleviate the bitterness.
Bamboo shoots cuisine
I was overwhelmed by how many ways can bamboo shoots be cooked with.
Eaten raw. The finest taste is the taste unprocessed. Dip the boiled bamboo into your preferred sauce and it will take you on a trip back in time. I would recommend 酢味噌 (sumiso sauce - made from white and light brown miso, sugar, and vinegar)
*on a scale from 1 to 10 i give sumiso an 11 (∿°○°)∿
Believe it or not it was OUT OF THIS WORLD !! I am fully aware that Japanese tend to “tempura” everything, even leaf, but this WAS INDEED MIND-BLOWING. 大家さん used the tempura mixture with water, but personally i believe adding eggs into the mixture would bring a more rich flavour to the batter.
This requires a juicy sauce. Either you can make it Korean style - with Gochujang Paste, or Japanese style - Shiro dashi with a pinch of sugar and/or salt. I would recommend finishing it off with 鰹節 (Katsuboushi - Japanese fish flakes). It feels as if you’re eating a bamboo shoot okonomiyaki.
大家さん were so kind to have made rice balls for us. The Shiso しそ梅 gave off a soury, yet light kick to the onigiri rice balls. This is such a top-knot complimentary side dish to the bambooz.
[Prior to the trip Richard and I experimented our own onigiri with Minced carrots, mushrooms, potatos and Surumi (crab stick). Frankly speaking, onigiri is so easy to make and so fun to experiment with new ingredients. I bet a bamboo onigiri would sound delicious with Sumiso dipping sauce]
So, What did I learn today?
Welp, first and foremost: Seeing is believing. It was an interesting experience to see the entire process of from Farm-to-table: personally harvested the raw plant, eliminated the toxins inside the bamboo, and cooked the meal by ourselves. It might be easily done through documentaries or on TV, but once you really experience it, you’ll know how sophisticated the process could be. Second, hard work pays off. Harvesting these require strength and energy. As it was our first time, we have to constantly take our breaths every time we’re done with one shoot. Nonetheless, i felt like it was worth the breath shortages, as the food was so rewarding after we finished our jobs! Last, back to basic. Today’s objective was about utilizing sustainable resources to host activities and learn agricultural work. Dropping the technological machinery devices, sometimes one needs to go back to basic and immerse his or herself with mother nature. You might be surprised to know, how nice the trees smell and how refreshing the air is.
To sum up, took one step back to the drawing board, leaped two steps forward rejuvenate my body and mind. [Check my masterpiece ]
How to participate?
Today’s trip was hosted by Shady Vince-san, the founder of "APU Tourism and Hospitality Association". His vision is to revitalize the Tourism and Hospitaity industry in Beppu by connecting APU students with the local residents and stakeholders, solving problems that the city is currently facing.The Bamboo shoot harvesting activity is part of the Green Create Project, sponsored by Ms. Chikamatsu Hisayo, whose Objective is to develop a sustainable farmland where APU students can grow vegetables by ourselves, learn agricultural work and practice your Japanese skill.Main content: Every week, a group of 5 APU students can go to the field, do some cleaning and watering work, plant seed, cook a meal, harvest some vegetables and bring home. Everything is for free, however if you can support the owner with a bit of money, she will be very grateful. The owner will carry you from AP House to the field for free as well.
For those interested - Contact and information