<italic>Ushoi kangshu</italic> -A traditional bamboo shoot salad of the <italic>Meiteis</italic> of Manipur

Abstract

Ushoi kangshu is a fiery traditional seasonal delicacy of the Meiteis of Manipur, India prepared from fresh bamboo shoot. The main ingredients being fermented fish, chillies and peas. The preparation method is a traditional art which is handed over from generation to generation. Bamboo shoots are low in calories, high in dietary fiber and rich in various nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, amino acids, minerals, fat, sugar and inorganic salts, however, bamboo shoots are known to contain plant toxins (cyanogenic glycosides) which are harmful to human health. Studies on the cyanogenic content shows that the toxin is present in high concentration (600mg/kg) in the fresh bamboo shoot however, the concentration of the toxic compound is decreased step wise (400mg/kg to 160mg/kg) during the preparation of ushoi kangshu and is completely removed at the final step of preparation. More over it was observed that this ethnic bamboo shoot salad is highly nutritious due to its garnishing with locally available herbs which has medicinal and therapeutic values.