Stir-Fried Water Bamboo Shoots: Skip the Direct Toss – One Extra Step for Tender, Sweet, and Irresistibly Delicious Results
That seemingly simple dish of stir-fried water bamboo shoots (茭白, jiaobai) was once my personal kitchen Waterloo. Full of enthusiasm, I’d imitate my mother: slicing the pale, tender shoots into thin strips or pieces, heating the wok, adding cool oil, sizzling minced garlic, then stir-frying everything over a roaring flame… The finished dish might look acceptable, boasting a decent color. But the first bite? An elusive, persistent bitterness, coupled with an unpleasant hint of raw toughness, instantly dashed all my eager anticipation. The promising meal plummeted into disappointment.
