Bamboo shoots fermented for months in sealed pots until sour and soft, a Manipuri household preserve. It is then cooked with fish or with fermented soybeans, and the smell fills the house.
It is a months-long sealed anaerobic ferment carried by a culture living in pots used across generations, and fresh bamboo shoots additionally contain cyanogenic glycosides that the traditional processing removes.
What goes into it
- young bamboo shoots, sliced
- the sour liquid from a previous batch
- large earthen or wooden pots
How it is made
Shoots are sliced and packed hard into a pot, weighted under a stone and covered so no air reaches them. Liquid from an earlier batch is added to carry the culture. Lactic bacteria sour the shoots over months, and the liquid that collects is drawn off and used as a seasoning in its own right.
How long it takes: three months to a year in the sealed pot
How it is eaten
Cooked with fish and chilli in iromba, or fried with pork.
History
A Manipuri household preserve: shoots are packed under weights and aged, then cooked with fish or fermented soybeans.
Frequently asked questions
What is Soibum?
Soibum is a fermented & pickled from India: bamboo shoots fermented for months in sealed pots until sour and soft. A Manipuri household preserve: shoots are packed under weights and aged, then cooked with fish or fermented soybeans.
How is Soibum made?
Shoots are sliced and packed hard into a pot, weighted under a stone and covered so no air reaches them. Liquid from an earlier batch is added to carry the culture. Lactic bacteria sour the shoots over months, and the liquid that collects is drawn off and used as a seasoning in its own right. It takes three months to a year in the sealed pot.
Can I make Soibum at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It is a months-long sealed anaerobic ferment carried by a culture living in pots used across generations, and fresh bamboo shoots additionally contain cyanogenic glycosides that the traditional processing removes.
What goes into Soibum?
Young bamboo shoots, sliced, the sour liquid from a previous batch, large earthen or wooden pots.
How is Soibum eaten?
Cooked with fish and chilli in iromba, or fried with pork.
