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My Menma recipe is a fast and easy shortcut to make this traditional ramen topping at residence. We thinly slice bamboo shoots and simmer them in a soy-based sauce that’s candy, nutty, and barely spicy. Add a crunchy and savory chew to your ramen, stir-fries, and blended rice with these seasoned bamboo shoots.
One of many traditional and important toppings on ramen is menma (メンマ), or seasoned bamboo shoots. They contribute considerably to the beloved noodle soup, because of its pleasant crunchy texture and its distinct mixture of candy, savory, and earthy flavors.
Through the years, many JOC readers have requested this recipe, and I’ve lastly created my very own model. It’s taken me a very long time as a result of making it from scratch with the normal methodology would take over a month. Plus, I couldn’t discover premade luggage of fermented bamboo shoots appropriate for residence use right here within the US. As an answer, I’ve developed a extra accessible methodology to arrange menma, so you can also make it residence.
What’s Menma?
Menma (メンマ) is a well-liked Japanese condiment constructed from seasoned bamboo shoots, incessantly served atop ramen. Historically, menma is crafted utilizing lacto-fermented bamboo shoots (extra on this later), rendering it a really distinctive ingredient.
The precise kind of bamboo shoots utilized in making menma known as machiku (麻竹), or hemp bamboo, which differs from the bamboo generally utilized in different Asian dishes.
Hemp bamboo is primarily cultivated within the subtropical southern Chinese language provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, in addition to in Taiwan. Resulting from its naturally excessive sugar content material, these bamboo shoots (also referred to as shinachiku (支那竹)) are notably well-suited for lacto-fermentation. Throughout this course of, they endure an intricate transformation, breaking down sugars and starches to develop a fascinating taste, aroma, and texture.
The Strategy of Lacto-Fermentation
Right here’s the method to make the fermented bamboo shoots—the principle ingredient for menma.
- The ready hemp bamboo is steamed or boiled to take away the scum.
- It’s slowly and naturally fermented for a couple of month.
- As soon as fermented, it’s dried within the solar for about 3 to 4 days.
- After drying, it’s rehydrated, boiled, and left to relaxation till it returns to room temperature. The method of boiling and bringing it again to room temperature is repeated many instances.
- Lastly, it’s minimize, packed, and shipped.
- All the course of calls for vital effort and an prolonged length, but it surely leads to bamboo shoots with a definite aroma, a satisfyingly crunchy texture, and a refined candy and bitter style.
How Ramen Outlets Put together Menma
Ramen retailers buy commercial-sized luggage of those fermented bamboo shoots (塩メンマ, 塩漬けメンマ) from Taiwan or China. Then, they soak the shoots in water to take away saltiness after which simmer them with a soy-based seasoning.
Residence-Pleasant Menma Recipe
Because it’s unimaginable to seek out fermented bamboo shoots exterior of Japan, I’ve to make use of pre-boiled bamboo shoots and simmer them to create a fast menma recipe. These pre-boiled bamboo lack the signature crunch and style of the fermented ones. However, they’re nonetheless flavorful and pleasing.
Make Menma
The Components You’ll Want
- Bamboo shoot – I exploit a pre-boiled bamboo shoot, which you could find within the refrigerated part at Japanese or Asian grocery shops.
- Sesame oil
- Seasoning – salt, soy sauce, sugar, and hen inventory
Variations
Optionally, you possibly can add the next elements.
The Cooking Steps
- Reduce the bamboo shoot into skinny slabs. Sprinkle salt and put aside for 10-Quarter-hour. Then, rapidly rinse them and pat dry.
- Warmth the sesame oil and cook dinner the bamboo shoots for 3 minutes.
- Season them with sugar, soy sauce, and hen inventory. Cowl the bamboo shoots with a drop lid (otoshibuta). Let it simmer till the liquid is sort of gone and the bamboo shoots are tender.
The place to Purchase Retailer-Purchased Menma
Right here in San Francisco, I can get these two manufacturers of menma from a Japanese grocery retailer.
Momoya model menma has been round in Japan and it’s fairly common. Fortunately, you should purchase it on Amazon.
Methods to Use Menma (Seasoned Bamboo Shoots)
- Topping for ramen
- Fast stir-fry with inexperienced leafy greens
- Toss it with wakame seaweed and function a aspect to go together with steamed rice
- Combine with cooked rice to make Maze Gohan
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Menma (Seasoned Bamboo Shoot)
My Menma recipe is a fast and easy shortcut to make this traditional ramen topping at residence. We thinly slice bamboo shoots and simmer them in a soy-based sauce that is candy, nutty, and barely spicy. Add a crunchy and savory chew to your ramen, stir-fries, and blended rice with these seasoned bamboo shoots.
Servings: 1 batch (2 cups, 480 ml per batch)
Components
Forestall your display from going darkish
Directions
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Collect all of the elements.
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Open 1 package deal boiled bamboo shoot and minimize the bamboo shoot in half lengthwise. Lay every half with the minimize aspect up and slice widthwise into half circles. Use the bamboo shoot segments as a information and minimize on both aspect of the segments. I minimize my slices about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. For those who see a white, gritty substance on the bamboo, wash it off beneath chilly water. Whereas the substance is edible, we take away it for a extra engaging presentation.
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Subsequent, lay the half-round slices flat. Then, minimize them as soon as extra the lengthy option to make lengthy slabs. I wish to stack the half-circle slices and minimize a number of at a time.
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Reduce in half any very lengthy slabs into shorter items. (Purpose for bite-sized items which are straightforward to select up with chopsticks.) Now, unfold them out right into a single layer.
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Sprinkle Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the bamboo shoots and gently therapeutic massage them. Put aside for Quarter-hour.
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As soon as the bamboo shoots turn into extra versatile, rinse them beneath chilly water and pat dry with a paper towel.
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