Yama-Surume Kinpira (Simmered Dried Bamboo Shoot and Wood Ear)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 180 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Yama-surume kinpira is a Kumamoto simmer made by boiling dried bamboo shoots until fully rehydrated, cutting them into even 8 cm strips, and cooking them in strong dashi with sugar, mirin, light soy sauce, sake, and salt.
Read more
Only after the broth has reduced are dry sliced wood ears added so they absorb seasoning while retaining a crisp, resilient bite. In spring, fresh bamboo shoots were split lengthwise, cleaned of inner nodes, boiled, and slowly sun-dried for preservation. The hanging triangular pieces resembled dried squid, leading to the name yama-surume, or mountain squid. Stored shoots could be restored throughout the year for farm-season meals, festival Buddhist dishes in Kuma, everyday sides, and sake accompaniments.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Rinse the dried bamboo shoots, place in a large pot, and cover generously with water.
Simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, until even folded sections bend softly, then turn off the heat and let them cool to lukewarm in the cooking water.
- 2Heat
Rinse the restored bamboo shoots and trim hard bases or rough areas.
Cut all pieces uniformly into strips about 8 cm long and 3 to 5 mm wide so they cook at the same rate.
- 3Control
Combine the bamboo strips and strong dashi in a wide pot and bring to a boil.
Lower to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add sugar, mirin, sake, light soy sauce, and salt, mix evenly, cover with a drop lid, and simmer another 20 to 30 minutes.
- 4Control
When only about 2 cm broth remains in the pot, add the dry sliced wood ears without soaking.
Mix them down into the liquid and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until they absorb broth, become crisp-tender, and little seasoning remains.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Dried bamboo shoots boil until flexible through the folds and are cut into uniform 8 cm strips.
- Finish cue
- Mix them down into the liquid and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until they absorb broth, become crisp-tender, and little seasoning remains.
- Avoid this
- Do not add the dry wood ear at the beginning or soak it separately.
- Storage and reheating
- Stored shoots could be restored throughout the year for farm-season meals, festival Buddhist dishes in Kuma, everyday sides, and sake accompaniments.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official food safety guidance.
This recipe
180min, 8 ingredients
Category median
48min, 8 ingredients
Based on 200 recipes
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