Braised Bamboo Shoots

By Tang Lin

In the mild and wet springtime, bamboo shoots are the freshest and extremely tender, right the time of feasting on them. Once they are dug out, they are delivered to different markets and then to dinner tables the next day. “We can live without meat, but not without bamboo shoots!” Chinese people—especially those in the Yangtze River Delta—favor this delicacy.

Bamboo shoots are nutritious: they are low in sugar and fat, and high in potassium. They are ideal food for people with hypertension, hyperlipemia, and hyperglycemia. Besides, bamboo shoots contain plant fiber, which can promote digestion and improve constipation conditions efficiently. Vitamins and carotenes contained in bamboo shoots also help to strengthen the immune system.

Made fresh, Braised Bamboo Shoots are crispy and tasty.

Ingredients:

500g bamboo shoots, 10g sliced ginger, 30g peanut oil, 20g light soy sauce, 10g dark soy sauce, salt to taste, rock sugar to taste

Procedure:

1. Wash the bamboo shoots. Shell and dice them.

2. Add 30g peanut oil into the pot. Add in sliced ginger and sauté for about 1 minute.

3. Add the diced bamboo shoots and fry them.

4. Add 20g light soy sauce and 10g dark soy sauce. Season to taste with salt and rock sugar.

5. Pour some water into the pot, cover it, and simmer for about 6 minutes.

6. Put them on a plate. Enjoy!

油焖鲜笋

文/唐琳

春雨纷纷，景色光明，春笋最是鲜嫩。当天采摘的春笋，次日便会被送到各大市场，再端上市民的餐桌。“可以没有肉，不可没有笋！”笋在中国人，特别是江浙沪地区居民的餐桌上是不可或缺的一道菜。

竹笋营养丰富，低糖、低脂，含钾量丰富，是“三高”人群的理想食材。除此之外，竹笋富含植物纤维，能促进肠胃蠕动，有效改善便秘，各种维生素和胡萝卜素的含量也很高，可增强人体免疫力。

油焖笋以新鲜竹笋为食材。清脆爽口。

食材：

春笋500克，姜片10克，花生油30克，生抽20克，老抽10克，盐、冰糖适量

步骤：

1. 剥去笋的外壳，洗干净切成块；

2. 锅中倒入30克油，将姜片倒入爆香，约1分钟；

3. 将笋倒入锅中翻炒；

4. 加入20克生抽、10克老抽，再根据口味加盐、冰糖调味；

5. 加入适量水，盖上锅盖，用小火焖6分钟左右；

6. 装入盘中就可以一饱口福了。