DURING THE PANDEMIC lockdown, when the supply of fresh vegetables was badly disrupted, I took to foraging. I discovered some edible greens in my neighbourhood, and this was supplemented by bamboo shoots gathered and gifted to me by our generous Hakka neighbours and friends.
Our Hakka friend, Madam Lye, who grew up on the hillsides of Paya Terubong, recollects the bamboo shoot season with fondness. “In those days, life was tough; two or three bamboo shoots could feed our family of six per day. When in season, we consumed it almost daily, and we never tired of it,” she reminisces.
Perhaps their enduring appeal owed itself to her grandmother’s culinary skills. She would transform the humble shoots into various delicacies, from stir-fries with dried shrimp to soups, chicken curries and—her personal favourite—bamboo shoot dumplings (笋粄).
