Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots (油焖笋)

As spring fever rushes in, spring bamboo shoots are hitting local grocery stores and wet markets across China. I grew up in China and have lived in China for three years. You can really see the seasons change at the markets! Most Northerners or bei fang ren (北方人) like to use spring bamboo for soups, stir-fries, or braised with pork—all excellent applications for fresh bamboo shoots in season. But for we Shanghainese, we tend to revert to our usual method of cooking: “red-cooked”, i.e. hong shao, 红烧 for those in the know!

An Old World Chinese Dish

One of our favorite old-world dishes from Shanghai is Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots or yóu mèn sun (油焖笋). Even though this dish is a common traditional dish (i.e., maybe your grandparents ate it more often than your parents), it’s still really popular and no less delicious! I know we say that a lot around here, but please don’t underestimate the allure of this dish! (Especially if you have tried my Braised Pork Belly.) If you are a vegetarian or vegan and you want to know what all the fuss is about, here is your chance to find out. The cooking method and the spices for both are pretty much the same. I love them both, but if I had to choose one, I would pick braised spring bamboo shoots. Crazy, I know. But yes, I would pick spring bamboo over juicy slabs of pork belly any day. In short, this vegetarian/vegan dish will not disappoint!

Buying Bamboo Shoots

Braised spring bamboo shoots can be made with spring bamboo (春笋) or winter bamboo shoots (冬笋), fresh (if you are lucky enough) or frozen. If you are lucky enough to find fresh spring bamboo shoots (or fresh winter bamboo shoots during the winter months), you have no reason not to give this recipe a try. If fresh isn’t available, frozen spring bamboo is a great alternative and is what I used in this instance. Stay away from canned bamboo shoots for this recipe, however, as they are too wet for this cooking method.

Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots: Recipe Instructions

Before we begin, a note: if you’re using fresh winter bamboo shoots, it’s a good idea to blanch the bamboo first…once they are cut. You will also need to increase the simmering time when using winter bamboo. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the ginger and cook for about 30 seconds. Turn down the heat, and add the rock sugar, allowing it to dissolve in the oil. Now add the bamboo and turn up the heat; stir and mix everything well. Cook for a few minutes, until the edges of the bamboo start to brown slightly. Now add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and water. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes over medium heat. After 10 minutes, uncover the pan, turn up the heat to reduce the liquid, and add a couple of drops of oil before plating. It sounds hokey, but this will give the dish an attractive sheen!