Learn of How to Make Delicious Coorg-style Bamboo Curry – Baemble Curry

The original inhabitants of Coorg, the Kodava community, is known for celebrating the indigenous ingredients in their cuisine. Some of the local delicacies like Baemble Curry is well-known all over Karnataka. 

A delightful vegetarian preparation, Baemble curry looks rich, creamy and is a riot of flavours.

The dish gets its name from Baemble, which means bamboo shoots. These shoots are eaten in few places only across India, and in south India, Coorg is one such place. The shoots are highly seasonal, and they are usually available only during the monsoon.

Preparing the bamboo curry requires special skill, and we bring you a special Coorg-style bamboo curry recipe that you can make at home.

Did you know? 

The bamboo shoots are toxic in nature. You cannot use the raw shoots right out of the tree; the locals process it in a specific way to make it safe for eating. 

If you don’t know the right way to process, the best way to make the dish is using the tinned or canned bamboo shoots, which are processed and readily available in the market. 

Preparation time of Coorg-style Bamboo Curry: 35 minutes 

Ingredients needed for making Coorg-style Bamboo Curry Recipe

• Cooking oil
• Curry leaves
• Ginger-garlic paste
• Turmeric powder, red chilli powder
• Roasted garam masala powder
• Onions, tomatoes (finely chopped)
• Green chillies (sliced)
• Bamboo shoots (processed)
• Coconut paste made from freshly grated coconut
• Yoghurt
• Kachampuli 

How to Make Coorg-style Bamboo Curry Recipe

• Heat oil in a pan. Add curry leaves, onions, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, tomato and salt (as per taste).
• Once the onions start to turn brown, add green chillies, red chilli powder, roasted garam masala powder and mix all the ingredients well.
• Add the bamboo shoots (about 450g) and mix well so that the shoots combine with the masala.
• Let the shoots cook for a few minutes before adding water (one cup), and coconut paste (10g). Mix the ingredients well, and put in the yoghurt (50g), and let the gravy cook.
• Add kachampuli (a souring agent). It adds sourness, and another layer of astringent flavour to the dish.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, and voila! Baemble Curry is ready to relish.

About Coorg-style Bamboo Curry 

While the making of the actual Baemble curry is easy, and does not take much time, the preparation of the shoots for the curry can be challenging. The raw bamboo shoots are first boiled with turmeric water and then fermented for about 48-72 hours to remove the toxin content and the bitter taste. 

Apart from Coorg, Bamboo shoots are also widely consumed in Goa. In Konkani language, Bamboo shoots are known as killh, and the taste of the dish in Goa is quite different from Coorg-style Baemble curry because of the use of the different local spices and kokam.

 Gourmet Getaways by Club Mahindra

At Club Mahindra resorts, we strive to serve our patrons the best of the local cuisine. The chefs at the restaurants in our resorts bring with them years of experience and expertise. They have a deep understanding of flavour profiles, and every dish they create is high on flavour, and taste.

Our chefs also source the best local ingredients and use the best culinary techniques to make every meal unforgettable! If you are holidaying at the Club Mahindra Madikeri or Virajpet resorts in Coorg, Karnataka, you can enjoy many local delicacies like Baemble curry, and other Indian dishes.

About Club Mahindra chef – Debraj Bhaumik

Trained in many international cuisines like Italian, Mexican, and Lebanese, and having worked in the middle east under eminent chefs of the world, Chef Debraj Bhaumik is a culinary master. With over 26 years of experience, Chef Bhaumik has won many coveted awards, including the National Award – Chef of the Year in 2007.

Currently the Cluster Executive Chef at Club Mahindra Tamil Nadu and Karnataka resorts, Chef Bhaumik has an undying passion for Indian cuisine. He has done extensive research on the different regional cuisines in India. He has been using all his knowledge, skills, and techniques to curate the best menu for the patrons at Club Mahindra resorts.