Dried Bamboo Shoots from Lantian, Lingchuan

Dried Bamboo Shoots from Lantian, Lingchuan

　　The Lantian area is rich in bamboo, with up to 17 different varieties. Fresh bamboo shoots are peeled and sliced (small shoots from mixed bamboo species are not sliced), then blanched in boiling water and sun-dried for later use. Before cooking, they are soaked in hot water to rehydrate and can then be prepared. Even after being stored for years, they retain the tenderness, crispness, sweetness, and flavor of fresh shoots. Dried shoots made from winter bamboo shoots are of the highest quality, also known as “Jade Orchid Slices,” which were once tribute items and, before liberation, were exported as far as Hong Kong, Macao, Southeast Asia, and Japan.