Oil-Simmered Bamboo Shoots

Oil-Simmered Bamboo Shoots

　　Whenever fresh bamboo shoots come into season, people prepare them in various ways, one of which is called oil-simmered bamboo shoots. It is said that the signature dish at Hangzhou’s New Xin Hotel today—oil-braised bamboo shoots—originated from the method used in Zhangjiadu in the early 1960s.

Method for making oil-simmered bamboo shoot dishes: One way is to heat a pan the night before, add an appropriate amount of lard or vegetable oil, then stir-fry a certain quantity of diced bamboo shoot meat. After stir-frying, add a little salt and a small amount of water. Next, bring the bamboo shoots to a boil in the pan, then simmer them over low heat. This slow simmering continues overnight, and by the next morning, they are ready to eat. Later, as living standards improved, some people replaced the lard or vegetable oil with pork or pork bones. Another method involves selecting whole young bamboo shoots, washing them clean, and—if they are too long—breaking them by hand (never use a knife). Then, place the bamboo shoots in a pot, pour water over them to blanch (chutri), discard the blanching water, and add a little salt and a small amount of water. Next, bring the water in the pot to a boil, and once it reaches a certain stage, let it simmer gently over low heat overnight. By the next day, the simmered bamboo shoots will have turned a brownish-red color. At this point, mix in an appropriate amount of sesame oil, and they are ready to eat. (Linhai)