Bamboo Tube Rice from Yingjiang

Bamboo Tube Rice from Yingjiang

　　Bamboo tube rice is a dish made by packing rice and seasonings into a fresh bamboo tube and roasting it. It is commonly prepared in mountainous areas during outdoor trips or at home using charcoal. With a unique flavor and a long history, this dish features yellowish rice inside vibrant green bamboo sections, giving off an inviting aroma, a chewy texture, and an excellent taste.

Bamboo tube rice is divided into two types: regular bamboo tube rice and fragrant glutinous bamboo tube rice. The regular version is often cooked and consumed by the Hani, Lahu, Blang, and Jinuo ethnic groups, especially during outdoor cooking trips. To prepare it, simply cut a section of fresh, tender bamboo, place rice inside along with water, then cook it over a fire until done. After peeling off the charred outer layer, the rice is ready to eat. Hunters often split the bamboo tube in half and share it between two people. This type of rice is wrapped in a layer of white bamboo pulp, offering a delicate fragrance of bamboo and providing a distinctive taste of mountain wilderness.

Fragrant glutinous bamboo tube rice, known as “Kaoluan” in the Dai language, is made using a uniquely aromatic bamboo variety called “Mai Kaoluan.” This type of bamboo belongs to the Poaceae family, has a stalk as thin as a wine glass, and sections over two feet long, with an inner lining of sticky white bamboo pulp that emits a special fragrance. To prepare fragrant bamboo rice, only tender bamboo shoots from the current year are used, cut by section, leaving one bamboo node per piece.

High-quality glutinous rice, pre-soaked and rinsed, is placed into the bamboo section with a bit of water added. The opening of the bamboo tube is then sealed with a banana leaf, and the rice is slow-roasted over charcoal or in an oven until nearly cooked. At that point, the bamboo section is shaken a few times before continuing to roast until fully cooked. When eating, gently tap or hammer the bamboo tube to loosen the rice from the inner walls, then peel away the bamboo to enjoy the rice.