Stewed Bamboo Shoots in Wine Lees

Stewed Bamboo Shoots in Wine Lees

　　Legend has it that there was a bamboo grove near Guangyuan Temple at Gushan in Hangzhou. The monks in the temple loved eating bamboo shoots but were not good at cooking them, only able to boil or stew them. When Su Dongpo served as the prefect of Hangzhou, he interacted with the monks and passed on his "bamboo shoot cooking secrets" to them. This dish is made from tender bamboo shoot shoots and aromatic wine lees through stir-frying, sautéing, and braising. It boasts a rich aroma, deep flavor, and unique taste. Over generations, Stewed Bamboo Shoots in Wine Lees has become a famous traditional vegetarian dish in Hangzhou.

　　Ingredients:

　　300g fresh, peeled, tender bamboo shoot shoots, 25g wet starch, 3g monosodium glutamate (MSG), 5g salt, 50ml wine lees juice, 10ml sesame oil

　　25ml salad oil

　　Preparation:

　　1. Cut the bamboo shoot shoots into 5cm-long sections, split them open, and gently pound them with a knife to loosen. Place the wine lees in a bowl, add 100ml of water, stir to dissolve, then strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove solids, keeping the wine lees juice for later use.

　　2. Heat a wok over medium heat, add salad oil and heat until it reaches 130°C. Add the bamboo shoot shoots and stir-fry briefly, then add 300ml of water and simmer for about 5 minutes. Next, add salt and MSG, pour in the wine lees juice, then thicken the sauce by stirring in diluted wet starch. Finish by drizzling with sesame oil.

　　Features:

　　Rich aroma of wine lees, tender and refreshing, bright in color — an appetizing summer dish. It is one of the 36 renowned Hangzhou dishes officially recognized by Zhejiang Province in 1956.