How to Make Stir-Fried Frog with Bamboo Shoots

Preparing the Ingredients

Rinse the bamboo shoots, trim off any tough ends, and tear them into thin strips. Then, boil the bamboo shoots.

To ensure the bamboo shoots are clean, add a pinch of coarse salt to the boiling water, ensuring the water covers the shoots. Keep the pot uncovered while boiling to allow any odors and impurities to evaporate. Once the water reaches a boil, continue boiling for an additional 5 minutes before draining the shoots. Rinse with fresh water and repeat the boiling process two more times to thoroughly clean the bamboo shoots. After boiling, rinse the shoots again and let them drain.

While boiling the bamboo shoots, take advantage of the time to prepare the other ingredients.

For the frog meat, ask the seller to skin, remove the feet, and gut the frog. When you get home, rub the frog meat thoroughly with coarse salt and ginger wine, then rinse it clean and let it drain.

Once the meat has drained, cut the frog into bite-sized pieces, leaving the legs whole if preferred.

Before stir-frying, marinate the frog meat with a bit of seasoning to enhance its flavor. For 500g of frog meat, marinate with 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder to remove any fishy smell and to add color to the meat. Additionally, finely crush a small piece of ginger to marinate with the frog for added aroma and warmth.

You can also use fresh turmeric, finely crushed, instead of turmeric powder. If using fresh turmeric, be careful not to use too much, as the flavor can be quite strong.

Mix well and let the frog meat absorb the seasoning for about 15-20 minutes.

Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic, which will be stir-fried with the frog and bamboo shoots for added fragrance.

Slice the chili peppers diagonally. Adding a bit of spice will enhance the dish and help mask any lingering fishy taste from the frog meat.

After soaking the herbs in saltwater and rinsing them clean, let them drain and chop them finely. In addition to these herbs, you can also add a few leaves of perilla to further enhance the aroma of the stir-fried frog with bamboo shoots.

Cooking the Stir-Fried Frog with Bamboo Shoots

Add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to a pan. Once the oil is hot, sauté half of the chopped shallots and garlic until fragrant. Next, add the marinated frog meat and increase the heat slightly. Stir-fry continuously until the frog meat is firm and slightly golden, then add the bamboo shoots to the pan and continue stir-frying.

Alternatively, you can fry the frog meat until golden, remove it from the pan, and then sauté the shallots and garlic before adding the bamboo shoots. Once the bamboo shoots are cooked, return the frog meat to the pan. This method will give the frog meat a more golden color, though the flavor difference between the two methods is minimal.

When the bamboo shoots have absorbed the oil, season the dish with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon of fish sauce for added aroma. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

After seasoning, stir-fry for another minute, then add the remaining shallots and garlic along with the herbs to enhance the fragrance. Stir-fry for about 10 seconds more, sprinkle with ground pepper, then turn off the heat and transfer the stir-fried frog with bamboo shoots to a plate.

This dish is incredibly fragrant, with the slightly golden frog meat being particularly appealing—tender and flavorful, while the bamboo shoots are crispy and rich. The fresh aroma of herbs like betel leaves and sawtooth coriander further enhances the dish. The combination of the protein-rich frog meat with bamboo shoots makes the dish light, easy to eat, and not overwhelming.