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Tasty dishes made with fresh bamboo shoots
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BAMBOO shoots picked during spring (known as chunsun) are highly sought after in Hangzhou, a traditional bamboo-growing area, due to their crisp texture and sweet taste.
The plant is low in calories and features protein, vitamins and minerals as well as dietary fiber.
More good news is that bamboo farmers never use pesticides or growth hormones because the plant grows so fast on its own.
In fact, to make sure it gets the space, sunshine and nutrients
it needs, farmers have to pick
excess shoots in winter and spring so that the rest can grow tall and straight throughout the coming months.
Hangzhou residents love treating themselves and their guests to chunsun dishes when this seasonal delicacy is available in local markets. It can be paired with other vegetables and meats, and can be fried, boiled or steamed.
Today, Shanghai Daily offers three traditional local recipes for this yummy vegetable.
After peeling your bamboo shoots, cut them in half vertically.
Use the side of the knife to crush the bamboo, till the halves naturally split into quarters (this will help the fibers absorb the soy sauce and wine later).
Then cut the quarters horizontally into 4-centimeter pieces — and if the root is too wide, cut it vertically again, so all pieces are about the size of your pinky.
To remove the acid in the bamboo, a secret is to immerse it in rice wine for five minutes, as acid tends to dissolve in alcohol. Save the wine, it will be used later.
Now add two spoons of oil in a pan and pour the bamboo in (without wine). Use medium heat to fry the bamboo for two minutes. As the plants become less pulpy, add enough soy sauce to turn every piece in the pan dark-red, and then add a spoon of sugar.
The last step is to add the wine we used before into the pan. Cover the pan, simmer the dish for eight minutes, or until the ingredients are cooked, while the liquid is reduced.
Buy xianrou in a grocery store or supermarket. Cut it into half-centimeter slices. You will need a sharp knife for this.
Roll-cut the shelled bamboo shoots into bite-size pieces.
Boil the xianrou slices in cold water. When the water begins bubbling, add bamboo shoots, and two spoons of rice wine.
The liquid should cover all ingredients. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Salt is not necessary because the broth is salty enough from the meat.
Tip: Xianrou is the light kind of Chinese bacon.
A darker variety is called jiangrou, which is preserved in soy sauce. Jiangrou can be steamed with bamboo shoots, while the bamboo needs to be cut into thin slices like the meat.
Bevel bamboo shoots into half-centimeter slices. Doing so will help infuse the umami and salty flavor from the xuecai into the bamboo.
To remove acidity, boil the shoot slices in cold water with two spoons of rice wine.
Turn the burner off after the water bubbles for one minute.
Add two spoons of oil into a pan. On high heat cook three spoons of xuecai.
When the caked vegetables start to separate, add shoot slices and sauté for two minutes.
Add half a rice bowl of water and cover the pan, simmer for two minutes. Add salt to taste.
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