Nuka and takenoko

In line with the takenoko (bamboo shoot) picture I posted last week, here's different angle. It shows the bamboo shoots are being sold alongside nuka (糠 or ぬか), rice bran, which is added to the cooking water to remove the natural bitterness of the bamboo. To prepare fresh bamboo shoots, you peel off the outer layer of the sheath that covers the heart of the bamboo shoot. Then score the next layer of the sheath and put the bamboo shoots in a big pot of water. Add a handful of nuka to the water, bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 90 minutes. Let the pot cool to room temperature before you take out the bamboo shoots. Now the bamboo shoots are ready to peel and use.