Thai Bamboo Soup Recipe (Gang Nor Mai)
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This is my grandmother’s authentic Thai bamboo soup recipe (gang nor mai), cooked the traditional way with bamboo shoots, chilies, and fresh herbs. A healthy, bold Isan dish that’s easy to make and great for a nutritious breakfast or lunch.
What is Thai bamboo soup?
Thai bamboo soup, also called gang nor mai, is a traditional Isan soup made with bamboo shoots, fermented fish sauce, chilies, and fresh herbs. The name means bamboo shoot curry. It has a dark broth with bold, spicy, savory, slightly funky flavors and a rich herbal aroma.
The ingredients vary by region and household, but bamboo shoots and mushrooms are typical.
Much of the flavor comes from fresh herbs like rice paddy herb and yanang leaves, and protein is completely optional. My grandmother keeps it vegetarian, while others add pork, chicken, or even frog meat.
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes & substitutes
✱ Here you’ll find ingredient tips and possible substitutions. See the recipe card for the exact measurements
- Water – Forms the base of the soup.
- Bamboo shoots – Use fresh bamboo shoots when in season or canned bamboo shoots for convenience. Use leftovers to make my bamboo shoot curry or bamboo shoots stir-fry.
- Glutinous rice – Added to lightly thicken the soup.
- Fermented fish sauce – A thick, pungent condiment made from fermented fish that adds deep umami and a subtle funk, giving the soup its traditional flavor.
- Rosdee seasoning powder – A popular Thai bouillon seasoning that adds savory depth; a mild Western bouillon like Knorr works if needed.
- MSG – Enhances natural umami and rounds out the broth.
- Salt – Used sparingly to fine-tune seasoning after the fermented fish sauce does most of the work.
- Rice paddy herb – Adds a fresh, grassy aroma that’s signature to Thai bamboo shoot soup. If you can’t find this, you can use a handful of lemon basil instead.
- Mushrooms – I use enoki mushrooms, but any mild Asian mushroom works well.
- Yanang leaves – A traditional Isan leaf used to extract a green juice that flavors and lightly thickens the soup with an earthy taste.
- Sponge gourd – Softens as it cooks and adds gentle sweetness.
- Chilies – Bird’s eye chilies give heat, but milder chilies can be used for a gentler spice level.
✱ Bamboo shoots tip: Fresh bamboo shoots can be bitter, so I’ll show you how to cook them briefly with sugar before using. If using canned bamboo shoots, skip this step and simply rinse them well.
How to make gang nor mai
- Blanch the bamboo shoots. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the fresh bamboo shoots and sugar, then boil for 20 minutes to reduce bitterness. Drain and keep the bamboo shoots in the pot. (If using canned bamboo shoots, skip this step and simply rinse them well.)
- Blend the rice mixture. In a blender, blend the glutinous rice, yanang leaves, and water until smooth. Set aside.
- Pound the chilies. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the chilies until crushed. (Or use a food processor.)
- Cook the soup. Place the pot with drained bamboo shoots over medium heat. Add the blended rice mixture, sponge gourd, and crushed chilies.
- Season. Bring to a boil, then add the fermented fish sauce, MSG, salt, and seasoning powder, stirring constantly.
- Add the vegetables. Let the soup boil for a minute or two, then add the mushrooms and cook until they’re tender to your liking, then stir in the rice paddy herb. Remove from heat and serve immediately, optionally with a portion of sticky rice to make it more filling.
Tips for making this recipe
❥ Stir constantly once the rice mixture is added to prevent sticking or burning at the bottom of the pot.
❥ Don’t rush the blanching step when using fresh bamboo shoots; it’s key to removing bitterness.
❥ Expect a dark, slightly thick broth. This soup isn’t meant to be clear or coconut-based.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate: Let leftovers cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze in portioned containers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best texture.
- Reheat: Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add a splash of water if the soup has thickened too much.
Thai Bamboo Soup Recipe (Gang Nor Mai)
Equipment
- large pot
- blender
- wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
For making the soup
- 2½ cups bamboo shoots, fresh or canned; rinse well if using canned
- ¼ cup uncooked glutinous rice
- 10 yanang leaves
- 3½ cups water
- 3 chilies, adjust to taste
- 2½ tablespoons fermented fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ½ tbsp rosdee seasoning powder
- ½ cup sponge gourd, roughly sliced
- 1 ounce rice paddy herb
- 1½ cups enoki mushrooms, or any mild Asian mushroom
For blanching the bamboo shoots
- water, enough to fully cover the fresh bamboo shoots during blanching
- 2 tablespoons white sugar, helps reduce bitterness in fresh bamboo shoots
Instructions
Blanching the bamboo shoots
- Blanch the bamboo shoots. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add your fresh bamboo shoots and sugar, and boil for 20 minutes to reduce bitterness. Drain and keep the bamboo shoots in the pot.(If using canned bamboo shoots, skip the blanching but make sure to rinse them well.)
Making the soup
- Blend the rice mixture. Blend the glutinous rice, yanang leaves, and water until smooth. Set aside.
- Pound the chilies. Pound the chilies using a mortar and pestle until crushed.
- Cook the soup base. Place the pot with drained bamboo shoots over medium heat. Add the blended rice mixture, sponge gourd, and crushed chilies.
- Season and stir. Bring to a boil, then add the fermented fish sauce, MSG, salt, and seasoning powder. Stir constantly to prevent the rice mixture from sticking.
- Add the vegetables and finish. Let the soup boil for 1–2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender, then stir in the rice paddy herb. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- Be warned, Isan food is incredibly flavorful. This recipe is not for those who are new to the world of Thai flavors.
Thank you for sharing. I met a girl in Thailand and she will be coming here to New Orleans. Now I can impress her. As you may well know we in New Orleans have some of the most culturally diverse dishes found in America and now you just added to the palette. You’re wonderful!
I believe she will be very surprised and impressed! Hope you both enjoy the recipe, thank you!