Chinese Recipe - Braised Bamboo Shoots in Hot Meat Sauce

To prepare fresh bamboo shoots: remove the tough outer skin and cook in boiling water, with two red peppers added, for 40 minutes. (The red pepper helps to remove the bitter taste from the bamboo shoots)

The pork should be just tender and there should be little liquid left when this dish is cooked.

Ingredients:

• ¾ lbs fresh or canned bamboo shoots
  
• 3 tbsps oil
  
• 1 ½ tbsps lard
  
• ¼ lb ground pork
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsps soy sauce
  
• 1 ½ tbsps hoisin sauce
  
• 1 tsp chili sauce
  
• 1 tsp sugar
  
• 1 ½ tbsps tomato paste
  
• ¼ cup stock
  
• 2 tbsps dry sherry
  
• 2 tsps sesame oil

Directions:

1. Cut the bamboo shoots into 1 ½ inch triangular wedges. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 2 ½ minutes. Remove from the pan.
2. Add the lard to the pan. When it has melted, add the pork, garlic and scallions. Stir-fry for 4 minutes.
3. Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chilli sauce, sugar and tomato paste and mix well. Stir in the stock and sherry.
4. Return the bamboo shoots to the pan and turn them in the sauce until well coated. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 7 to 8 minutes. Add the sesame seed oil, stir and serve hot.