Braised bamboo shoot shreds
Spoon a heap of these amber shreds beside a bowl of rice at almost any Taipei braised-pork-rice counter and you have the side dish locals reach for without thinking; it also turns up on Lunar New Year tables and in railway bento boxes. Fermented bamboo shoots are tangy and faintly funky straight from the packet, but a long, gentle braise in soy sauce, sugar and plenty of oil turns them silky, sweet-savoury and slightly chewy. Restaurants often cook them in pork fat; this version uses vegetable oil and dried shiitake for the same rich depth. The usual mistake is skipping the blanching: unrinsed shoots keep a sharp, sour smell that no amount of sauce can hide. Chef's tip: make it a day ahead, because the shreds drink up the braising liquid overnight and taste even better reheated.
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