筍の木の芽和え [Bamboo Shoot with Japanese Pepper Dressing]

 

筍の木の芽和え(read as takenoko no kinome ae), simmered bamboo shoot coated with the Japanese pepper leaves-miso (木の芽) dressing. It is spring, there is abundant fresh bamboo shoots and I noticed that it appears in many restaurants' spring menu. My first encounter with this dish was at a private function, one of the dishes in a beautifully presented traditional lunch-box meal.  It was a set lunch packed in a huge black rectangle box.

筍の木の芽和え

Bamboo Shoot with Japanese Pepper-Miso Dressing

Ingredients:
150 g boiled bamboo shoot, cut into 1 cm cubes or smaller
A:
1/2 cup dashi stock
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp mirin

B:
8 sprigs leaves of Japanese pepper (incl. 2 for garnish)
40 g white miso
1/2 tbsp sake

2 tsp sugar
1-2 tsp stock from simmering the bamboo shoot

Method:

1. Combine ingredients A in a small pot, add in bamboo shoot and bring to a boil. Then, simmer for 5 minutes and turn the heat off. Set aside allowing to cool down.
2. Combine miso, sake, sugar and stock in a small sauce-pan, heat up and stir till well blended. Remove from heat. Set aside.
3. Grind 6 sprigs of the Japanese pepper leaves until pretty fine (I used a suribachi), mix in miso paste and mix well. 
4. Drain the bamboo shoot, add in the dressing and stir to coat. Chill before serving.
5. For serving, transfer into serving bowls, garnish and serve as an appetiser.

This is a small Japanese Pepper or Prickly Ash/木の芽/山椒 plant I bought weeks ago, so far it is growing very well and fast too. After a search online, I decided to have it as a pot plant instead of my initial plan of grow it at a corner in the yard, to prevent it from growing into a giant tree. Prickly ash (leaf) is often use in Japanese cooking, for its beautiful green and aroma/scent. To me, it smells like lime leaf.