Bamboo shoots

The quintessential Shanghainese way of enjoying this would be to use it with salted ham and bean curd knots to create yan du xian soup. The bamboo shoots are an essential ingredient as they provide a tantalizing contrast to the soft textures of the ham and beancurd, and for those born and bred in Shanghai, this soup is a must-have dish during spring.

xujunqian@chinadaily.com.cn