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
Spring bamboo shoots, split, boiled, and sun-dried, curl into triangular pieces that look like dried squid, hence yama-surume, mountain squid.
Read more
In Kumamoto the dried shoots were restored throughout the year for farm-season meals, festival Buddhist dishes in the Kuma area, and drinking snacks. Simmered slowly in strong dashi and light soy sauce, the strips become tender yet springy. Dry wood ear strips go in only at the end, soaking up the last of the broth while keeping their crunch.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
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.
- 2
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.
- 3
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.
- 4
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.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- 일본 농림수산성 うちの郷土料理
「くまもとふるさと食の名人」（熊本県地産地消サイト） · Checked: 2026-08-11
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Ohitashi (Seri and Spinach in Dashi)
light soy sauce, mirin
Tamago Fuwafuwa (Fluffy Egg and Clear Dashi Soup)
light soy sauce, mirin
Fukumen (Konjac Noodles with Fish Soboro)
light soy sauce, mirin