Gukeng residents create ‘squid’ from bamboo shoots

Gukeng residents create ‘squid’ from bamboo shoots

2023-12-20

Bamboo shoots have historically been a cash crop for Yunlin’s Gukeng Township. To revitalize the local industry, residents began experimenting with creating what they call “golden mountain squid” out of dried bamboo, leaving many consumers surprised at its likeness to the real thing.

Yunlin’s Gukeng Township is the center of the country’s bamboo shoot production. But as time goes on, processing plants have gradually disappeared. Looking to revive the flagging industry, residents have started piecing together dried bamboo to resemble squid.

Hsu Chia-yin
Gukeng Kueilin Community chair
The bamboo must first be thoroughly sun-dried for preservation. It’s then cut into strips because it was easier to ship. Before it often took months to send to Japan. From there, our community came up with making it into a “mountain squid.”

Bamboo strips keep better after they are dried. Then with the addition of local creativity and tedious work, the final product has many consumers fooled.

Hsu Chia-yin
Gukeng Kueilin Community chair
After the shoots are boiled, they need to be left for 45 days. The natural fermentation will make it sour. Then it’s taken out to sundry. A “squid” needs about a week to dry out.

Bamboo shoots are an important cash crop for the community, which has become even more renowned for its “golden mountain squid.” Residents also partner with the local school to teach about agriculture, ensuring that the wonders of bamboo will be passed down.

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古坑麻竹筍乾大變身拼成魷魚造型栩栩如生

2023-12-20

麻竹筍曾是雲林縣古坑鄉經濟作物之一，為了活化地方產業，近年來當地村民發揮創意，將烹煮後的麻竹筍曬乾後塑型拼出「黃金山魷魚」，因為造型太像魷魚造型，讓不少民眾誤以為是，真的魷魚。

雲林縣古坑鄉盛產麻竹筍，也是國內主要產地，早期竹筍加工廠林立，後來隨時代變遷逐漸沒落，這幾年地方為了活化竹筍產業，將筍乾加工成魷魚造型，因此有「黃金山魷魚」的美名。

[[古坑桂林社區理事長許家銀]]
"第一是為了便於保存，所以需要曬得很乾，第二是因為這樣一片一片方便運送，當時運去日本，時常需要好幾個月，這應該可以變成魷魚，我們桂林就有這個，發想來創作成山魷魚"

筍乾切片經過曬乾，更容易保存，村民投入創意與巧思，經過極其繁瑣的製作過程，栩栩如生的外表，還讓不少人誤以為是真魷魚。

[[古坑桂林社區理事長許家銀]]
"筍子煮好後，要裝在筍圈要放45天，天然的發酵後才會變酸，之後再拿去曬乾，日曬山魷魚，都差不多要一個禮拜才會乾"

麻竹筍是當地相當重要的經濟作物之一，尤其黃金山魷魚的推出更打響知名度，社區也配合學校透過食農教育向下扎根，讓這黃金筍奇蹟永續傳承。

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