Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 300 g winter bamboo shoots, julienned or thinly sliced
- 20 g dried shrimp
Aromatics
- 20 scallions, chopped, whites and greens separated
- 10 g fresh ginger, finely julienned
- 10 g garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasoning
- 30 ml neutral cooking oil
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 3 g granulated sugar
- 45 ml chicken broth
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the dried shrimp in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let soak for 15 minutes to soften. Drain the shrimp, optionally reserving 45ml of the soaking liquid to use instead of chicken broth.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil at 100°C/212°F. Add the sliced bamboo shoots and blanch for 3 minutes to remove bitterness and metallic packaging flavors. Drain well and pat dry.
Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add the neutral cooking oil, followed by the softened dried shrimp, minced garlic, julienned ginger, and scallion whites. Stir-fry for 1 minute until highly fragrant.
Increase the heat to high. Add the blanched bamboo shoots to the wok and toss continuously for 2 minutes to coat them evenly in the aromatic oil.
Pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the wok. Add the light soy sauce, granulated sugar, and chicken broth or reserved soaking liquid. Simmer vigorously for 3 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed, leaving a glossy coating on the bamboo shoots.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame oil. Toss thoroughly to combine, then transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Reserving the dried shrimp soaking water is a classic culinary technique. It is packed with oceanic umami and serves as a fantastic, deeply flavorful replacement for chicken broth.
- Winter bamboo shoots (dong sun) are preferred over spring shoots for their tender, crisp texture and delicate sweetness. Vacuum-packed versions are a highly reliable year-round alternative to fresh.
- Briefly blanching the bamboo shoots is a non-negotiable step. It breaks down oxalic acid in fresh shoots and removes any unwanted metallic or sour aromas from packaged varieties.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Stir-fry briefly over high heat or microwave in short intervals until hot.
