Braised Bamboo Shoots

I love all Japanese pickles and they are invariably loaded with MSG. What I really wanted was the bamboo on top of ramen, but this was a delicious substitute. The bamboo shoots come packed in water in little plastic pouches. I buy them in the refrigerated section of a Japanese grocery store. When you open the package and drain them they taste like absolutely nothing, just a bland crunch, but once you cook them this way they add a great salty spicy crunch to everything. This probably tastes good on top of ramen too, but I used it over jook (rice porridge) with tiny shrimp and some stir-fried spinach. 

Ingredients:
7 oz. package bamboo shoots
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Directions:
Drain the bamboo shoots. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil and fry the bamboo shoots for a few minutes. Next, add some soy sauce, a little sake, the garlic, and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Add a little more sesame oil. Let it boil down and concentrate the flavors. Taste it and adjust the seasonings if necessary. You may need to add more soy sauce if it doesn't taste salty enough.