Bamboo Pith Soup (竹笙湯)

Bamboo Pith Soup is part of a collection of traditional Chinese soups that are both nourishing and delicious! This dish is everything you need to end a banquet with – light, soothing and balanced with just enough springy texture to keep you wanting more. It’s spectacular for celebrations but just as good for a casual weeknight dinner!

A traditional heartwarming soup

I always feel like I’m in for a treat when Grandma makes her Bamboo Pith Soup. Just like all the other celebratory soups (think fish maw or crab and asparagus), this one’s served thick, hot and packed with nutrients.

It doesn’t take much to whip up, but once it’s complete, your family will be rewarded with a dish that’ll warm everything up right down to the toes!

You see, the most of the ingredients are soft and delicate like clouds. The egg whites are slowly poured in as rings to create delicate white streams while a water-based roux thickens the chicken and pork stock until it becomes liquid velvet.

Each flavor layer gets soaked into the piths and explodes in your mouth as you chew. The segments are lightly crunchy and balance every silky texture.

There’s nothing quite like it. Try it out this weekend to get a taste of Grandma’s cooking!

Everything you need to know about bamboo pith

What it is

Bamboo pith is a type of fungus that goes by a few names. You may have come across it as bamboo mushroom, veiled lady or long net stinkhorn. In Cantonese, it’s pronounced ‘juk saang‘ (竹笙; zuk¹ saang¹).

They can be found growing on bamboo in nutrient-dense soils with decomposing bark. Each one resembles a hollow tube with the skin like the cross-section of a flaky croissant. You can by them dehydrated from Asian supermarkets.

Taste

After a rehydration and rinse, this mushroom can be used to add a subtle texture to any dish it’s cooked in. The tissues soak up liquids in a way that make them act like sponges. When you bite into it, there’s still a mild crunch while the cooking juices ooze out.

Similar to Chinese delicacies like abalone, fish maw, sea cucumber or tripe, the piths absorb the flavor of what it’s cooking in and is really revered for its texture.

You can find it cooked in soups, as an ingredient for hot pot or as a wrapper for rolls.

Health benefits

For such a simple ingredient, you’ll actually find that is has a concentration of nutrients including calcium, zinc and potassium.

It’s said to assist with inflammation, fevers, coughs and digestion. Much like Chinese Herbal Tea (涼茶), people consume it for its cooling effects on the body.

With so many ways to aid your body, now’s the perfect time to make some Bamboo Pith Soup!

Why this recipe works

• Using a few simple ingredients keeps the taste light while letting the texture shine.
• Rehydrated scallops and mushrooms add a potent umami kick, balancing the subtle flavors.
• Egg flower gives the dish an extra pop for presentation.

What you’ll need

About the ingredients

We make our own chicken and pork stock, but you can also use store-bought stocks instead. All the other ingredients can be purchased dehydrated from Chinese supermarkets or grocery stores.

We use potato starch for the slurry, but if you can’t find any then corn starch will work too.

How to make this recipe

Soak the dried piths in cool water for 3 hours or until soft, then wash them and cut off the hard tips using scissors. This will be at the top and bottom of each one.

Cut the piths into 3cm (1.2″) segments and let them drip dry in a colander.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken and pork stock to a boil. Season with the salt and chicken bouillon powder, then add in the shiitake mushrooms and bamboo pith. Drain the rehydrated scallops and shred them into the soup.

Let it simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.

Turn the heat to low-medium. Mix up the starch slurry and and slowly pour it in while stirring. If you want it thicker, add more slurry.

Gently pour the egg whites in large rings over the soup. Once they cook, stir it through to get long strands.

Serve immediately as is with a touch of pepper and red vinegar!

Recipe FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Scoop the top layer of oil out of the broth as much as possible. This keeps the dish light and less greasy.
• Opt for brown dried piths. You are likely to find white ones in the shops, but keep in mind that they may have been bleached to get that color.
• Keep the heat at a simmer. Particularly for when you add the starch slurry and the egg whites, you want to the heat to be low so it doesn’t cook the ingredients too quickly. Starch and egg whites will become clumpy once they reach a high enough temperature, which can change the texture of your dish.

What to serve it with

Bamboo Pith Soup is one of those dishes that we love having with a celebratory banquet during the holidays or the Lunar New Year. Here are some of our favorite recipes to enjoy it with:

• Crispy Seafood Rolls dipped with mayonnaise make a fantastic appetizer.
• Spoil your loved ones with a labor of love using our Mei Cai Kou Rou (Steamed Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens 梅菜扣肉) and Four Cup Chicken (四杯雞) recipes.
• Cantonese Steamed Fish with Ginger and Shallots (清蒸鱼) or Ginger Scallion Lobster (蔥薑龍蝦) are fantastic seafood stars.
• Jazz everything up with a side of XO Sauce (XO 酱).
• Bake Chinese Almond Cookies (杏仁餅) ahead of time and serve them as a post-banquet treat!

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