Takenoko 筍 （Bamboo Shoot ) Wild edible plant 2

                                               
                                                      I needed some leaves of Japanese pepper for topping
                                                                but my garden doesn't have it..
                                                    

                                                                    Japanese pepper tree at green grocery
                                                                     Looks like curry leaves!
In March,they are still very small and they don't have bitterness in them.
So we just grill them and eat just like sashime(sliced raw fish) with soy sauce.
Traditionally,we do appreciate the seasonal things especially, first is  to get vital energy from the ground.
After it is grown,we boil it with rice bran and then soak it in water.Boiled bamboo shoot and Wakame seaweed is a very good combination.In this season we enjoy bamboo shoot rice too .
At Sushi reataurant it is  used  for the topping of Nigiri Sushi now.

       The first bomboo shoots  I found at the vegetable shop  in  middle March.                                      

                                       The bamboo shoot in early April

                     The bitterness was still light so I used milky water after washing rice instead of rice bran.

                                                        Rice bran (with chili)

                                                  The bamboo shoots became bigger in late April .