Tongzi magnolia slices are a bamboo shoot product specialty of Guizhou.

Among Guizhou's magnolia slices, those from Tongzi County have the largest output and the best quality. The Tongzi magnolia slice series is carefully processed from fresh moso bamboo shoots.

Production method

1. Harvesting: The season for harvesting bamboo shoots runs from the winter solstice of the lunar calendar to the Qingming Festival of the following year. Dig out the bamboo shoots, shake off the mud and sand (do not wash with water), and cut off the old root base.

2. Steaming: Put the cleaned bamboo shoots with their shells into a wooden steamer and steam them. During steaming, the heat must be even, and they must be cooked to the proper degree.

3. Baking: After steaming, take them out, dry them in the shade, peel off the outer shells, place them in a sieve, and bake them again. During baking, pay attention to the heat and turn them at all times to avoid burning. After processing, steaming, and drying, the bamboo shoots are a semi-finished product.

4. Sulfur fumigation: Put the semi-finished product into a large barrel, add 30 to 50 kg of clean water per 100 kg, soak for about 1 hour, then take them out, place them in a sieve to drain off the water, and then put them into a sulfur-fumigation box to steam for a full day and night. Products fumigated with sulfur are dry, transparent, and bright in color, and can then be sold as finished magnolia slices.

5. Storage: Magnolia slices are tender and contain a lot of water. During storage, they must be protected from moisture, heat, and loss of sulfur. If sulfur is lost due to packaging damage or loose sealing, causing mold, do not dry them in the sun either; they should only be dried over fire.