Bamboo shoots are a rustic, familiar food, an indispensable part of the culinary culture of the Central Highlands people. Harvesting bamboo shoots is a seasonal livelihood for many people living near the forest.
When the rainy season comes, Ms. H'May Byă (Ea Mar hamlet, Buon Don commune) starts a new bamboo shoot season. She said that for many years now, going into the forest to pick bamboo shoots has been the job of many people in the hamlet. In the past, the forest was vast, when it rained and the soil was moist enough, just walking around the hamlet, one could pick bamboo shoots freely. Every household went to pick bamboo shoots for food. Now the forest area has decreased, bamboo shoots are less, people have to go far, wade through streams to deep forests to pick bamboo shoots.
 |
| People of Dak Nue commune peel bamboo shoots at the edge of the forest before bringing them home. |
Bamboo shoot collectors often have to wake up very early, prepare rice balls, drinking water, a basket and a sharp machete. Bamboo shoot collectors must be strong enough to go into the forest, have sharp eyes to detect beautiful bamboo shoots, which are usually located in dense areas or buried under fallen leaves. If the bamboo shoots are just emerging from the ground, they must be dug up. When the bamboo shoots are about a hand's span high, they can be broken off. If they are higher, they must be chopped off with a machete. Bamboo shoots grow quickly, so it only takes about a week to 10 days to return to the same place to collect the next batch of bamboo shoots. A very good rule of bamboo shoot collectors, especially the Ede and M'nong people, is that they do not encroach on the forest, do not break or cut off all the bamboo shoots around the bush, but leave a few buds so that the bamboo can continue to grow and develop.
Talking about the profession of collecting bamboo shoots, Mr. Nguyen Van Ha (village 6 Cu M'lan, Ea Sup commune) said that people who collect bamboo shoots often go together in groups, split up when they go into the forest, and gather together at the end of the day to return.
Before, when he was new to the job, he had no experience, and one time it was almost dark and he still couldn't find a way out of the forest, so he was very confused and scared. Luckily, two people in the group came back later to find and lead him out. For people who go to collect bamboo shoots, being scratched by tree branches until they bleed, have their skin torn, or bee or mosquito bites, or bee stings that make their whole body swell are normal things. Besides, during bamboo shoot season, it often rains, the road is slippery, just a little carelessness can cause them to slip and fall. Some people even encounter poisonous snakes.
Despite the hardship, the bamboo shoot harvesting job brings a stable income to the people. Mr. Ha shared that on average, he can collect about 40 - 50 kg of fresh bamboo shoots per day, and on lucky days he can collect more, selling for an average price of 10,000 VND/kg. If he takes the time to clean and boil them, the selling price will be higher.
Among the wild bamboo shoots, Le bamboo shoots are the most delicious, considered the "queen" of bamboo shoots. The outstanding feature of Le bamboo shoots is that they are dense, sweet and rich in flavor, not bitter or astringent like other types of bamboo shoots. In particular, Le bamboo shoots are most delicious when picked when the shoots are about half a hand's height. Le bamboo shoots have a characteristic crunchy texture, bringing a strange and enjoyable feeling when enjoyed.
In the life of the Central Highlands people, bamboo shoots are a familiar daily dish. The most impressive is bamboo shoots cooked with beef. Fresh bamboo shoots after being picked will be grilled on the stove until the outer shell is burnt.
Then, turn off the fire, grill the bamboo shoots until they are cooked inside, then let them cool, peel off the outer skin, wash them and cut them into small pieces. When cooking, fry the bamboo shoots in oil with green chili, onion and stir-fry until the spices are absorbed, then add the beef.
Of course, cooking this dish cannot lack bitter eggplant - a specialty of the Central Highlands. This dish brings a special feeling with the bitter, chewy, fatty taste of eggplant, the spiciness of chili, the crisp aroma of bamboo shoots. Tourists from far away who once come to the land of coffee to enjoy this dish will forever remember the flavor of the Central Highlands mountains and forests.
 |
| Along Highway 27 during the rainy season, it is easy to see people picking bamboo shoots. |
Not only a daily dish or a rustic gift, bamboo shoots have now become a regional specialty. Fresh bamboo shoots are collected by traders, boiled and transported to Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, to supermarkets and restaurants. In addition, in remote communes such as Krong Bong, Nam Kar, Buon Don, Ea Sup, etc., there are many establishments producing dried bamboo shoots. This product is much more expensive because about 8 - 10 kg of fresh bamboo shoots produce 1 kg of finished dried bamboo shoots.
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/du-lich/202510/mua-mang-rungtay-nguyen-d8f10e6/
Comment (0)