Chapter 85 (continued)

Zhou Yan: "I knew it right away."

Qing Mengzhu sensed that he had something else to say and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with our drying process?"

Zhou Yan: "Actually, it's already very good. If I had to find a flaw, it's that the heat wasn't controlled very well, and it wasn't baked evenly."

This was the first time Qing Mengzhu had heard of the issue of heat control. "Is heat control not an issue? I thought that this kind of dried bamboo shoots could simply be made by cutting bamboo shoots into chunks or thick slices and then drying them."

Zhou Yan: "That's why I said it's the only flaw. Yours is fine too, but if you pay attention to the heat, the finished product will be even better."

Qing Mengzhu immediately invited, "I don't know how to do this. Why don't you come and help me, Brother Zhou? You seem to know how."

Zhou Yan, finding such good bamboo shoots rare, was itching to try them himself. "Okay, save some for me, I'll come over after work tomorrow."

The next afternoon, Zhou Yan indeed arrived.

Zhou Yan said, "There are several ways to make dried bamboo shoots, and yours is just one of them. If the heat isn't right or the drying process isn't correct, the bamboo shoots will be a bit hard. However, the bamboo shoots in your family are of very good quality, and the dried bamboo shoots that come out in the end are also of very good quality."

Qing Mengzhu nodded repeatedly. "When I touched the dried bamboo shoots, they also felt a bit hard, like hard candy. But I thought all dried bamboo shoots were like that, and that they would soften after soaking, so I didn't think much of it."

Zhou Yan is always serious when it comes to his profession. Hearing this, he shook his head. "Personally, I think that the best dried goods should still have some moisture. They can't be completely dried hard, otherwise the texture and taste won't be as good."

Qing Mengzhu: "Then teach us how to bake it?"

Zhou Yan: "I'm not exactly a professional when it comes to drying bamboo shoots. Let me try it out first, and you can see which one you prefer."

Qing Mengzhu nodded repeatedly. "I'll help out."

Zhou Yan rolled up his sleeves and went into Qing Mengzhu's kitchen to work, asking, "Do you have any ice? Get a basin of ice water. After the bamboo shoots are cooked, rinse them in the ice water; they'll be crisper and more tender."

Qing Mengzhu nodded repeatedly. "Yes, there are ice blocks in the ice cube tray. I'll go get them."

Zhou Yan: "Get a bigger bowl, put in plenty of ice and water, and my bamboo shoots will be blanched quickly."

Qing Mengzhu took out a large iron basin for washing vegetables and prepared a basin of ice water.

Zhou Yan had a particular way of cooking bamboo shoots. He would first cut the bamboo shoots into pieces, and only put them into the pot after the water was boiling vigorously.

After boiling for about twenty seconds, he took the bamboo shoots out and put them in ice water to cool them down, then drained them.

Zhou Yan scooped the bamboo shoots, which had been drained of most of the water, out of the basket and said, "You can dry them now. Set the moisture content to 15%, not 10%."

Qing Mengzhu set the moisture content of the dried bamboo shoots to be 10% last time, but Zhou Yan felt that the dried bamboo shoots were too hard.

Qing Mengzhu nodded repeatedly. "Okay. I'll bake this batch first."

Zhou Yan picked out a basket of bamboo shoots. "The second method doesn't require blanching. Do you have charcoal? If not, some sturdy firewood will do."

Qing Mengzhu: "Do you have the bamboo charcoal we burned before?"

Zhou Yan: "Sure, any charcoal will do. I've seen some places bury bamboo shoots in charcoal with their shells on while they're drying them, then take them out, peel off the shells, and then dry them into dried bamboo shoots."

Qing Mengzhu had never heard of such a method before. "If you simmer it until cooked, won't the oxalic acid in the bamboo shoots still be inside?"

Zhou Yan: "The oxalic acid content will be a bit higher this way, but dried bamboo shoots are different from fresh bamboo shoots. They need to be soaked in water to rehydrate, and the high oxalic acid content can be removed during that soaking step."

Qing Mengzhu realized and said, "Oh, right."

Zhou Yan: "Braising directly preserves the sweetness and freshness of the bamboo shoots to the greatest extent, and also leaves the fragrance of the bamboo shoot husk inside. The dried bamboo shoots prepared in this way have a richer flavor than fresh bamboo shoots."

Qing Mengzhu: "Understood. Can the bamboo shoots be sent directly to be dried? Just peel the fresh bamboo shoots, cut them into pieces, and send them to the drying machine."

Zhou Yan: "You can try it, but I feel that the bamboo shoots dried this way will have the worst texture and taste. Since they haven't been boiled, the bamboo shoots will become tough during the drying process and will still have a slight grassy taste."

Qing Mengzhu was a little skeptical. "I'll find an opportunity to try."

While they were busy, Ming Chunxi returned.

Smelling the aroma of bamboo shoots filling the courtyard, he asked, "Are you still drying bamboo shoots today? Why does it look different from before?"

Qing Mengzhu waved. "Let's simmer the bamboo shoots first and then bake them. That way, we can infuse all the aroma into the bamboo shoot flesh—that's what Brother Zhou said."

Ming Chunxi: "Where's Brother Zhou?"

Qing Mengzhu: "Cook in the kitchen."

Hearing the commotion, Zhou Yan came out and greeted them, then said to Qing Mengzhu, "Mengzhu, turn the bamboo shoots over frequently while they're simmering, don't let them burn."

Qing Mengzhu nodded repeatedly. "I'm turning them over right now. I'll take out the ones that are cooked and put them aside so they don't burn."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan, having finished cooking one dish, simply came out and said, "Let me see, let's add a dish of hand-shredded bamboo shoots tonight."

Qing Mengzhu quickly showed him the bamboo shoots that had already been stewed. Zhou Yan checked them and felt they were indeed fine, so he went back to the kitchen to get a large plate and sat down opposite Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi to peel bamboo shoots.

The bamboo shoots that are stewed are quite different in color from those that are blanched; they are a bright yellow, like Hetian jade, with a very smooth luster.

Once you peel off the shell, the aroma of the bamboo shoots wafts out along with the steam, making it incredibly appetizing.

Qing Mengzhu sighed, "Professional matters should be left to professionals. Brother Zhou, now that you've taken action, I know that all those dried bamboo shoots I made before were a complete waste of such good bamboo shoots."

Zhou Yan: "It mainly depends on personal preference. I prefer this concentrated, savory flavor."

Qing Mengzhu: "Most people should like it too, otherwise they could just buy fresh bamboo shoots and eat them directly, why eat dried bamboo shoots?"

Zhou Yan laughed beside him.

Soon, all the bamboo shoots were stewed. They peeled them, cut them into pieces, and dried them before sending them into the dryer.

The dryer is still drying a batch of bamboo shoots and can't be used for the time being; they should eat first.

Sure enough, there was a plate of cold, hand-shredded bamboo shoots on the table.

In this weather, cold dishes are actually a bit chilly, but Qing Mengzhu, out of curiosity, took a bite.

Unexpectedly, one time, the fresh, fragrant, sour, and spicy flavor hit me right in the head. The sour, spicy, crisp, and tender taste was like a complete awakening of my taste buds. It was like suddenly running out of bed on a cold day and into the yard to feel the wind. It was a very distinct flavor.

Qing Mengzhu exclaimed in surprise, "The bamboo shoots cooked in this way are so different!!"

Zhou Yan also tasted it. "Right? It doesn't taste like boiled bamboo shoots."

Qing Mengzhu nodded repeatedly. "It feels like the bamboo shoots were cooked in a broth made from bamboo shoots, making them fresh, fragrant, crisp, and tender, not bland at all, and they even hold the sauce perfectly."

Zhou Yan: "Once the bamboo shoots cooked this way are dried, come and try the dried bamboo shoots. I guarantee they'll have a completely different flavor."

Qing Mengzhu: "Then I'll go to sleep later, after the bamboo shoots are dried. They should be ready by tomorrow morning, and I'll bring some over then."

Zhou Yan: "No need to see me off, I'll come over to check on things before I go to work tomorrow."

Qing Mengzhu immediately agreed, "Sure, Brother Zhou, why don't you come over for breakfast? We can make some braised dried bamboo shoots and noodles with them."

Zhou Yan's cooking skills are superb; Qing Mengzhu is already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow morning.

Zhou Yan agreed, "No problem, I'll come early."

Zhou Yan was very interested in dried bamboo shoots. After finishing his meal, he waited at Qing Mengzhu's house until the bamboo shoots, which had been simmered, were put into the drying machine before returning home.

He came over again early the next morning and, together with Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi, took the dried bamboo shoots out of the dryer.

Bamboo shoots that have been simmered turn yellowish in color after baking, become more tender and have a slightly soft texture, and have a richer aroma.

Bamboo shoots that are blanched directly and then rinsed in ice water are whiter, more attractive, firmer, and thinner.

They soaked both types of dried bamboo shoots in warm water, then stir-fried them with diced pork belly to make a sauce.