Bamboo Shoot Preparations (笋 Sun) — Jiangnan Spring Ritual

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Spring bamboo shoots (chun sun, 春笋) are one of the most eagerly anticipated seasonal ingredients in Jiangnan and Zhejiang cooking — appearing briefly in March-April, they signal the end of winter and the beginning of the most vibrant season of the Jiangnan kitchen. In Hangzhou and Zhejiang, whole industries and restaurant menus are organised around the arrival of fresh bamboo shoots. They are eaten in every form: fresh young shoots eaten raw with salt; briefly blanched and dressed with sesame oil; braised in master stock with pork belly; stir-fried with minced pork and douchi; and preserved in multiple ways (dried, fermented, pickled) for year-round use.

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