Ingredients
500 g (about 1 lb) tender bamboo shoots from the ci bamboo variety, 100 g cooked chicken skin, 350 g (about 1 1/2 cups) creamy broth.
Seasonings
3 g salt, 1 g MSG, 50 g lard, 10 g chicken fat, 10 g each ginger, scallion, and Shaoxing wine, 20 g water starch, and alum water as needed.
Instructions
1. Remove the outer shell from tender bamboo shoots, select the tender front part and slice thinly, then soak in alum water. Bring to a boil in a pot and blanch for about 5 minutes, then remove and soak in clean water. Cut chicken skin into diamond shapes about 3.5 cm (1.4 inches), place in a bowl with cooking wine and milk broth, then steam in a steamer for 20 minutes and set aside.
2. Place a wok over high heat, add lard and heat to about 150°C (300°F). Stir-fry ginger and scallions until fragrant, then pour in milk broth and bring to a boil. Remove the ginger and scallions, add the bamboo shoot slices and cook for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and MSG, then add the chicken skin along with its steaming liquid and cook until the flavors meld. Thicken with a light slurry of water and cornstarch, drizzle with chicken fat, and transfer to a soup plate to serve. This dish features an elegant, pale yellow-and-white color scheme, with tender-crisp bamboo shoots and soft, silky chicken skin—light, clean, and delicately savory.