Bamboo shoots, also called bamboo sprouts, are the young, edible shoots that emerge from the underground rhizomes of various bamboo plant species. They've been a staple ingredient in East and Southeast Asian cooking for centuries, prized for their crunchy texture and mild, earthy flavor. Shoots are harvested in spring and early summer while still tender, before they harden into woody stems, and range from slender, pencil-thin sprouts to thick shoots over a foot long; they're pale yellow or white with a scaly exterior that must be removed before cooking. They appear in stir-fries, soups, pickles, and salads, pairing well with soy sauce, garlic, and chili as well as delicate ingredients like seafood and eggs, and are common in dishes like kung pao chicken, Japanese tempura, and Vietnamese pho. Named varieties include moso (large, mild, sweet), phyllostachys (slender, slightly bitter), and dendrocalamus (cylindrical, pronounced earthy taste). Before cooking, the tough outer layers must be removed and the shoots boiled or simmered to remove bitterness; some recipes also call for soaking in water or vinegar.