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Liangban zhusun

涼拌竹筍 (liangban zhusun): Taiwanese chilled summer bamboo shoots with a little mayonnaise or soy-sesame dip

From May to August, sweet green bamboo shoots arrive in Taiwanese markets from the hills around Taipei and Tainan, and families boil them whole and chill them as a cool summer starter or side. The ivory shoots are crisp, juicy and almost sweet, cut into wedges and eaten plain, with a little mayonnaise in the Taiwanese way, or with soy sauce and sesame oil. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 70 kcal and 6 g carbohydrate per portion with a little mayonnaise. Fresh bamboo shoots must always be fully cooked: raw shoots contain natural compounds that are unsafe until boiled. The usual mistake is peeling them before boiling, which makes them bitter; boil them in their husks. Chef's tip: start them in cold water and let them cool completely in their cooking water, which keeps them sweet and tender.
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

Optional soy dip

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What you'll need

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Rinse 1 ¾ lb fresh green bamboo shoots in their husks (or 500 g vacuum-packed cooked shoots) and put them, still in their husks, in a large pan with 1 tbsp uncooked rice. Cover with plenty of cold water.

    3 min
  2. Step 2: Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes, until a skewer slides easily into the thickest part. Turn off the heat and leave them to cool completely in the water.

    40 min
  3. Step 3: Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

    2 min
  4. Step 4: Peel off the husks and trim the tough base. Cut the pale shoots into bite-size wedges. (Vacuum-packed shoots: rinse, slice and serve chilled.)

    5 min
  5. Step 5: Serve cold with a small dish of 2 tbsp mayonnaise, or with 1 tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) mixed with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil for dipping.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
70 kcal
Protein
3 g
Carbs
6 g
Fat
4 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does liangban zhusun take?
About 55 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of uncooked rice?
Any long-grain rice, same amount.

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