What are the tricks for digging winter bamboo shoots? Handle them this way to remove the bitterness and numbing taste

Winter bamboo shoots develop from the shoot buds on the rhizomes of moso bamboo. They are the shoots that have not yet emerged from the soil in winter, and they are generally best eaten in January and February. They can be stir-fried fresh or stewed in soup; they taste delicious and crisp, and have effects such as nourishing yin and cooling the blood, harmonizing the stomach and moistening the intestines, and clearing heat and reducing phlegm. So, do you know how to dig winter bamboo shoots? Here we will introduce the tricks and secret methods for digging winter bamboo shoots.

1. Introduction to winter bamboo shoots

1. What do winter bamboo shoots look like?

Winter bamboo shoots are moso bamboo shoots hidden in the soil in winter. They are pointed at both ends like a small boat, thin at the top and thick at the bottom, and generally weigh about three liang. The shoot sheath is golden yellow and the shoot flesh is milky white. The sheath and flesh are tightly wrapped together and feel very solid.

2. Where are winter bamboo shoots mainly produced?

Winter bamboo shoots are mainly produced in Chishui, Guizhou; Yibin, Sichuan; Fujian; Jiangxi; Zhejiang; Hunan; Guangxi and other places. Among them, Chishui winter bamboo shoots in Guizhou are of good quality and have the characteristic of not needing to be blanched and not causing a numbing taste.

3. What effects do winter bamboo shoots have?

Winter bamboo shoots contain nutrients such as protein, amino acids, vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron and fiber. They have effects such as nourishing yin and cooling the blood, harmonizing the stomach and moistening the intestines, clearing heat and reducing phlegm, quenching thirst and relieving restlessness, clearing heat and supplementing qi, soothing the diaphragm and refreshing the stomach, promoting urination and bowel movements, removing toxins and promoting rash eruption, nourishing the liver and improving eyesight, and promoting digestion. However, note that people with urinary tract stones, nephritis patients, people who are weak and often ill, the elderly, infants and young children, and women during menstruation should not eat them.

2. Tricks and secret methods for digging winter bamboo shoots

1. Finding the shoots

The harder part of digging winter bamboo shoots is finding them, because they are all hidden in the soil. Once you find the shoots, digging them is easy. So, how do you find them?

First, you can find them by looking at the bamboo. Young bamboo will not grow shoots, so it is recommended to look for bamboo that is more than two years old and less than four years old; there may be shoots around them. If you see a shoot tip poking out, you can dig around it, and you will generally be able to dig up shoots.

Second, you can find them by looking at the soil. Places where the soil is relatively loose have shoots. If the soil is slightly raised, loose, or cracked, and it feels soft when you gently step on it, that is a sign that there are shoots. If the bamboo forest is on a slope, the shoots are generally in the lower part of the slope.

Third, you can find them by looking at the bamboo rhizomes. There are shoots where the rhizome branches, and there are shoots where the rhizome suddenly goes from the surface deep into the ground. If you dig up a shoot, you can dig along both sides of the rhizome, and there will definitely be many more shoots.

Fourth, you can find them with a detector. There is a machine on the market called a winter bamboo shoot detector, which can easily detect where there are shoots underground.

2. Digging the shoots

After finding the shoots, you can dig them. Digging shoots is relatively simple. First, use a hoe to gently push aside the soil and shallowly dig near the base to find the yellow or brownish-yellow strong rhizome, then turn over the soil along the rhizome to find the winter bamboo shoot. Once found, you can dig it out. After digging, look at the direction of the bamboo rhizome and continue digging along both sides; you will definitely be able to dig up many more shoots. When digging, be careful not to damage the small shoot buds or cut the bamboo rhizome. After the shoots are dug up, cover the spot again with the original soil.

3. How are winter bamboo shoots handled?

If freshly dug winter bamboo shoots are not handled, they will have a bitter taste and a numbing taste. So, how should they be handled so they are not bitter or numbing?

1. Soak in yellow wine: First, peel, wash and slice the winter bamboo shoots. Then soak the sliced winter bamboo shoots in an appropriate amount of yellow wine. When soaking, stir first, then let them sit for 5 minutes, and you can stir once or twice during this time. Finally, scoop out the winter bamboo shoots with a slotted spoon. The bitter taste and numbing taste are left in the wine.

2. Boil in clear water: First, peel and wash the winter bamboo shoots, and cut them into two halves. Then put the halved winter bamboo shoots into boiling water and cook until 5 parts done. Finally, take out the winter bamboo shoots cooked to 5 parts done and soak them in cold water. As long as the water is hot, you can change the water several times. Generally, soaking for one or two days can remove the bitter taste and numbing taste.

3. Soak in salt water: First, peel, wash and slice the winter bamboo shoots. Then put the sliced winter bamboo shoots in salt water and pickle them for about 4 hours. Finally, pour off the salt water, rinse them with clear water, then soak them in clear water again, changing the water once every three or four hours. Generally, about one day is enough to remove the bitter taste and numbing taste.

4. Soak in white vinegar: First, put the winter bamboo shoots into white vinegar diluted with water, slightly covering the shoots, and soak for about 4 hours. Then take out the shoots and rinse them with clear water. Finally, soak them in clear water again, changing the water once every three or four hours. Generally, soaking for one day is enough to remove the bitter taste and numbing taste.

Summary: The most important thing in digging winter bamboo shoots is finding the shoots. Only after finding the shoots is it easy to dig them. When digging, be careful not to damage the small shoot buds or cut the bamboo rhizome. Freshly dug winter bamboo shoots generally have a bitter taste and a numbing taste, and they need to be handled before eating.