Steamed Zen Dried Bamboo Shoots

Steamed Zen Dried Bamboo Shoots

　　Local Yichun dish: Steamed Zen Dried Bamboo Shoots

　　Legend has it that many years ago, a monk traveled far and wide. One day, he arrived at Huacheng Temple in Yichun. At the time, the temple’s cook had no good vegetarian dish to offer, so he steamed some pre-soaked dried old bamboo shoots with tea oil using a steaming basket method.

　　When the dish was served, the monk asked the cook how it was made. The cook replied, “It was steamed in a clay pot using the steaming basket method. No water was added before cooking, yet the dish produced its own broth.” The abbot suddenly realized that the soup in the dish came entirely from the steam.

　　Thus, the dish was named “Steamed Zen Dried Bamboo Shoots.”

　　Ingredients of Steamed Zen Dried Bamboo Shoots — Tonggu dried bamboo shoots, wild camellia oil

　　Preparation method of Steamed Zen Dried Bamboo Shoots: A unique steaming technique using the Damingshan pot. This cooking method originates from the Tujia ethnic group. Legend has it that before the founding of the Ming Dynasty, when Zhu Yuanzhang fell ill during a military campaign, his Tujia subordinates specially prepared a nourishing soup for him. After eating it, Zhu Yuanzhang praised it as “richly flavored, tender meat with aromatic broth,” and thus the recipe was passed down.

　　Characteristics of Steamed Zen Dried Bamboo Shoots: Richly fragrant, mellow, and full of authentic flavor.