I haven’t cooked much with bamboo shoot although I’ve eaten it quite a few times in curries, salads and pickles. Since both fresh and fermented bamboo shoots are available fairly easily, I decided to make a simple Bamboo Shoot Mutton Curry. This delicate curry with rice and papads was made for languid summer lunches with a cold drink on the side.
Difference between fresh and fermented bamboo shoot
If you’re trying bamboo shoots for the first time, it can be confusing as to which one you should buy.
- Fresh bamboo shoot is cut, cleaned and packed in water. It’s white in colour with a mild taste and a hard, crunchy texture. Once opened, fresh bamboo shoot has a very short shelf life and must be used within 2-3 days. Even in the fridge, it will not keep for more than 5-6 days.
- Fermented bamboo shoot, on the other hand, is beige in colour and has a stronger smell and taste that many fermented foods have. This somewhat funky flavour and pungent aroma may not appeal to everyone.That said, I find it quite delicious. Fermented bamboo is filled with healthy microflora and bacteria which increases its shelf life. Once opened, it can be stored in a clean jar in the refrigerator for months without spoilage.
For this Bamboo Shoot Mutton Curry, I used fresh bamboo shoot. It gives the curry a nice crisp texture that beautifully balances the fattiness of the mutton.
How to prepare the bamboo shoot
Bamboo shoot comes in a jar, can or sealed plastic packaging. It needs a little pre-cooking before it’s added to the curry. It must be drained and washed in a couple of changes of water. Then, it must be boiled for 15-20 minutes in a pot of water or pressure cooked for 15 minutes on slow after one whistle. Once cooled, the bamboo shoot should be drained and chopped into large chunks.
The beauty of a simple curry
All mutton curries don’t have to be rich and heavy with spices. A light bodied curry, delicately spiced, I find, is equally satisfying, eaten on its own like a stew or accompanied by rice, bread or even idli and dosa.
My bamboo Shoot Mutton Curry has simple, everyday spices such as cumin, coriander, fenugreek seeds and pepper with the trifecta of ginger, garlic and onions in a base of creamy coconut paste. The spices are dry toasted for a minute and ground to a paste with freshly-grated coconut. This paste gives the curry its body. Along with onions, ginger, garlic and a generous amount of curry leaves, it makes a beautiful, no-fuss gravy. I recommend making it in coconut oil for a hint of coconutty sweetness and fragrance.
Bamboo Shoot Mutton Curry
Ingredients
- 500 g mutton, curry cut, with bones
- 300 g fresh bamboo shoot
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1½ tsp garlic, grated
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne)
- 2 fresh green chillies, slit down the middle
- 20 fresh curry leaves
- 1½ tbsp coconut oil
- salt
For the spice paste
- 150 g fresh, grated coconut
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds (dhania)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
Instructions
- Boil the bamboo shoot in plenty of water for 20 mins till tender, drain and chop into large chunks.
- To make the spice paste, dry roast the coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds in a pan till they're fragrant (30-40) seconds. Take care not to burn them. Cool and grind to a thick paste with the coconut and peppercorns.
- Heat ½ tablespoon of coconut oil in a heavy bottomed pan or kadai and lsear the mutton in batches till they're light brown on the edges. Set aside.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and crackle the mustard seeds and half the curry leaves. Add the onions and sauté on a low flame till they're translucent.
- Now put in the garlic and ginger and cook for 20 seconds more. Add the coconut paste and turmeric powder and gently fry the masala for another 20 seconds taking care not to burn it. Sprinkle a little water if required.
- Tip in the mutton and the bamboo shoot and mix well to coat the pieces with the masala.
- Add 300 ml water, chilli powder, green chillies, the remaining curry leaves and salt. Bring the curry to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer the curry for 30-40 minutes or till the meat is cooked and falling off the bone. The meat will give off some liquid, so add more water only if required.
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