China's Spring Delicacy: Even More Delicious Than Meat!

Another year of Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects) has arrived, with spring thunder stirring and the season of revival and budding life upon us.

For food lovers, perhaps the best way to preserve spring is through eating—especially those fleeting, verdant seasonal delicacies.

Photo/Shanghai Where to Eat (meishi388)

Shepherd's purse, Chinese toon, baby bok choy... While each spring vegetable has its merits, bamboo shoots undoubtedly reign supreme as the perennial star. Whether it's their unique texture and aroma, the vibrant vitality of breaking through the soil, or their abundant yield and variety, other vegetables pale in comparison.

China is the birthplace of bamboo shoots and has the longest history of consuming them. This timeless ingredient has been cherished for over 3,000 years. As bamboo shoot season returns, let’s delve into this unique springtime delicacy.

Map of Chinese Bamboo Shoots (Partial).

Just How Delicious Are Chinese Bamboo Shoots?

As the country with the most bamboo species, highest yield, and largest bamboo-covered area in the world, China accounts for one-third of the world's bamboo forest area and annual bamboo production. Bamboo forests span 27 provinces and regions, with most concentrated in warm, humid southern areas like Zhejiang, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. Nearly every southern child’s memories include a bamboo grove from their hometown.

China’s annual bamboo shoot production is undeniably "far ahead," making up half of the world’s total, allowing locals to enjoy them freely. With over 80 varieties, bamboo shoots are incredibly diverse.

Spring shoots in spring, winter shoots in winter, and whip shoots in summer and autumn. Those with a sweet tooth favor Yunnan’s sweet dragon bamboo shoots, while bitter shoot lovers recommend northern Guangdong’s bitter bamboo. Hotpot enthusiasts swear by Jinfo Mountain square bamboo shoots, and even giant pandas can’t resist Tianmu Mountain thunder shoots and arrow bamboo shoots. Depending on the season and region, bamboo shoots develop distinct flavors and personalities.

Spring and winter are the prime seasons for bamboo shoots.

China’s Bamboo Shoot Season Guide: Enjoy them year-round.

Generally, shoots dug in early spring are called spring shoots—slender, pale, and glossy. Winter shoots, their precursors, are smaller, stouter, and buried deep in soil. Spring shoots are crisp and fragrant, while winter shoots, rich in protein, are tender and succulent.

The spring-winter debate rages on, but bamboo shoots’ appeal lies in their freshness and tenderness. With 90% water content, they’re crisp and juicy, while their umami comes from 18 amino acids, notably glutamate, the source of MSG’s savory taste.

Photo/Shanghai Where to Eat (meishi388)

However, bamboo shoots age rapidly once unearthed. As soluble nutrients decline, insoluble fibers and lignin accumulate, turning them tough. Oxalic acid spikes, intensifying bitterness. "Aging overnight" is no joke—spring shoots can grow over a meter in a day. Once tender shoots become tall bamboo, their fleeting deliciousness vanishes. No wonder foodies lament that bamboo shoots’ prime is even harder to preserve than springtime itself.

Chibi’s water bamboo shoots are also ideal for drying.

China’s bamboo shoots thrive, but moso bamboo alone contributes about 80% of the annual bamboo economy.

Moso bamboo shoots are China’s most produced and widely consumed, mainly from Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, and Hunan. They yield shoots year-round: spring shoots from March to May, whip shoots from June to September, and winter shoots from October to February.

Compared to common moso shoots, the thunder shoots featured in *A Bite of China 2* are a rarer delicacy.

Le bamboo shoots are the product of Lei bamboo, named for "sprouting as soon as thunder sounds in early spring," and are the most popular type of spring bamboo shoots. Although they also produce autumn shoots, people still prefer the fresh taste of spring. Spring Le bamboo shoots have thin shells, plump flesh, snow-white tips, and a crisp, sweet flavor. The most famous varieties are the Tianmu Le bamboo shoots from Lin'an, Zhejiang, and the Anji Thunder bamboo shoots.

Red-shelled bamboo shoots can be considered the successor to Le bamboo shoots, typically available from April to May. Named for their red shells, they are also called Red Brooding Hen bamboo shoots. These shoots have pure white flesh, a fresh and tender aroma, and low fiber density, often commanding a higher price.

In Qingyuan, Guangdong, local residents are sun-drying bamboo shoots.

Ma bamboo shoots come from the large green bamboo and are commonly found in Guangdong and Guangxi, with core production areas in Yingde's Xiniu Town and Jieyang's Jiedong County, Guangdong. Their peak harvest season is July to August. Due to their large size and thick flesh, they are a premium raw material for canned bamboo shoots, dried bamboo shoots, and sour bamboo shoot products.

The indispensable square bamboo shoots in hot pot get their name from their square shape and angular texture. They are mainly distributed in Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Hunan, with the most famous being the Nanchuan Jinfo Mountain square bamboo shoots in Chongqing, typically available in autumn.

In hot pot, a bite of refreshing bamboo shoots is a must.

The flavor of bamboo shoots is so rich that summarizing it with just the word "umami" might seem abstract. But when it simultaneously embodies both sweetness and bitterness, its versatility is undeniable.

Sweet dragon bamboo shoots are hailed as the only bamboo shoots worthy of being served as "sashimi." Mostly found in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, they are a summer seasonal delicacy.

Since they can be eaten raw without blanching—being free of astringency or fibrous texture, crisp and sweet—locals also call them "fruit bamboo shoots." The sweetness comes mainly from soluble sugars, which quickly convert into starch and cellulose as the shoots grow. Thus, they are best eaten or cooked immediately after harvesting; storing or transporting them often diminishes their sweetness.

The "fruit bamboo shoots" that can be peeled and eaten on the spot.

One unique way to enjoy sweet dragon bamboo shoots is to slice them, refrigerate for two hours, and dip them in wasabi soy sauce, allowing the rich, sweet umami of this mountain delicacy to fully unfold on the palate.

Bitter bamboo shoots are commonly found in northern Guangdong, eastern Fujian, southern Jiangxi, and Sichuan, usually sprouting around Qingming Festival. Named for their sweet-bitter taste, they are white, fragrant, and tender—not only edible but also used in traditional medicine.

Huang Tingjian was a devoted advocate of bitter bamboo shoots, praising Sichuan's bitter shoots as "pleasantly crisp and flavorful" and "bitter yet delicious." They can be served cold or stewed with pickled vegetables and sliced meat, making for rare delicacies. The Hakka people also cherish bitter bamboo shoots, deeply appreciating their bittersweet aftertaste.

Bitter bamboo shoot and slippery pork soup, and bitter bamboo shoot raincoat tea.

Whether sweet or bitter, these flavors are rare regional specialties, each with its own distinct charm.

A grand showcase of bamboo shoot dishes! A taste experience so fresh it’ll make your eyebrows dance.

The Chinese have a long history of eating bamboo shoots, dating back over 3,000 years, with scholars and literati throughout the ages holding them in high esteem.

"Without bamboo, one becomes vulgar; without meat, one grows thin. To be neither vulgar nor thin, braise bamboo shoots with pork." This dish of braised bamboo shoots and pork won Su Shi's heart. Bai Juyi, on the other hand, preferred steaming bamboo shoots with rice, finding it so satisfying that he no longer craved meat. The "bamboo shoot expert" Li Yu left modern diners with this advice: "For vegetarian dishes, use plain water; for meat dishes, use fatty pork."

Photo/Tuchong Creativity, Photographer/PAOPAOANFANG

Today, bamboo shoots can be prepared in countless ways—stir-fried, pan-fried, stewed, deep-fried, roasted, braised, or boiled—and can even be eaten raw, pickled, or sun-dried. Calling bamboo shoots the all-around "center stage" of vegetables is no exaggeration.

Yanduxian has almost become the calling card of spring bamboo shoots. Little do people know, this dish actually originated in Huizhou. Thinly sliced spring bamboo shoots are simmered gently with salted pork, resulting in a light and fresh flavor known as "yan dun xian," which is the prototype of yanduxian.

To achieve a milky-white broth, one must simmer it slowly. Experts remove the salted pork halfway through cooking and add it back just before serving, ensuring the meat's texture and the soup's saltiness are perfectly balanced.

A piping hot pot of yanduxian owes its soul to the bamboo shoots, so fresh they seem to bite the tongue. The essence of winter and the freshness of spring are fully infused into the rich, creamy broth. A bowl of this hot soup warms the heart in the lingering chill of early spring.

Braised bamboo shoots (you men sun) are perhaps the solo performance of bamboo shoots. Not only are there no other ingredients, but the seasonings used are also simple and unadorned.

Take the tenderest part of spring bamboo shoots, cut them into inch-long sections, and blanch to remove bitterness. Heat oil in a wok, stir-fry the shoots until slightly golden, then add dark soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Continue stir-frying and simmer on low heat until the liquid evaporates, leaving the shoots glossy and golden.

Photo/Tuchong Creativity, Photography/PAOPAOANFANG

Despite its oily, soy-glazed appearance, the dish is surprisingly light and crisp. The flavor of the bamboo shoots remains intact under this glossy coat, even enhanced to its fullest. "Let the flavor shine" is the essence of this dish. A bowl of rice with it is truly priceless.

Bamboo shoots with pork (sun shao rou) is a dream collaboration across time.

Everyone knows how obsessed Su Dongpo was with pairing bamboo shoots and pork, and even today, many still favor this combination. Lin Yutang once captured its essence: "Bamboo shoots with pork is an exquisite pairing—the meat borrows the shoots' freshness, while the shoots gain richness from the meat."

The ultimate deliciousness: braised pork with bamboo shoots.

Whether fresh or dried, bamboo shoots are a perfect match for pork. The key is to use streaky pork with a balance of fat and lean meat, as the rendered fat enhances the meat's aroma and mellows the shoots' astringency. When the shoots' freshness clashes with the meat's richness on the palate—sweet, savory, tender, and chewy—it’s pure delight.

Bitter bamboo shoot hotpot is a Hakka classic, beloved by gourmets for its bitter-sweet profile.

The main ingredients are bitter bamboo shoots, streaky pork, and Hakka pickled vegetables. First, stir-fry the pork (30% fat, 70% lean) in a clay pot to render the fat. Add the bitter shoots and stir-fry until they absorb the fat and turn tender. Pour in broth and pickled vegetables, then simmer for a full hour until the soup turns clear. The pork, shoots, and vegetables complement each other while retaining their distinct qualities.

Photo/Tuchong Creativity, Photography/Wuyan

The dish is pleasantly bitter with a lingering aftertaste, making it a friendly "bitter" option even for those who usually avoid such flavors.

Sour bamboo shoots are no stranger to many—without them, Luosifen would lose its soul.

In Guangxi, sour bamboo shoots are typically made from thick-stemmed shoots. Place the shoots in a clean, sealed container, cover them with mountain spring water or cooled boiled water, and let them ferment naturally in a cool place.

Fresh bamboo shoots carry a natural fragrance from volatile aromatic compounds like aldehydes and phenols, common in spices. The pungent aroma of fermented sour shoots, however, comes from the conversion of their abundant proteins and sugars into amino acids and organic acids during fermentation, which react further to produce that addictive "fragrance." Ultimately, it’s the shoots' innate freshness that’s to blame.

In Luosifen, sour bamboo shoots steal the show.

Photography/Shanghai Where to Eat (meishi388)

Besides Liuzhou, many cities in southern China love sour bamboo shoots, each with its own characteristics. Guizhou's sour bamboo shoots are not only sour but also notably spicy; southern Fujian's version is primarily sour with a hint of sweetness; Yunnan's sour bamboo shoots have a unique flavor—those unaccustomed might find them a bit pungent, while fans may instantly fall in love. They are often used in local dishes like sour bamboo shoot fish and chicken.

Beyond this, there are countless ways to prepare bamboo shoots... such as bamboo shoot chicken soup, spring shoots with minced meat sauce, winter shoots in sliced noodle soup, cloud bamboo shoots with perch, or even minced as filling for buns and dumplings. The possibilities are endless, each delicious and distinctive.

Stir-fried cured pork with winter bamboo shoots is also a perfect match.

Reflecting on this, it’s no wonder that literati and artists, from admiring bamboo to loving its shoots, have shown such fervent affection—there’s a clear logic to it. No wonder the early Qing gourmet Li Yu ranked bamboo shoots as the "top delicacy among vegetables," praising them as the "licorice of cooking," essential for harmonizing flavors in both meat and vegetable dishes.

No other vegetable can preserve the freshness of spring or the richness of winter like bamboo shoots, satisfying cravings all year round. And isn’t eating seasonally, as with bamboo shoots, a way of staying true to the present moment?

She County, Huizhou: bamboo shoots dried over charcoal fire.

This article is original content from [Di Dao Feng Wu].