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Suan sun
酸笋: fresh bamboo shoot slices fermented in water until sour and famously pungent; the backbone of luosifen
In Liuzhou in Guangxi, spring and early summer bring fresh bamboo shoots, and every household fills big jars with sliced shoots in water to sour. The smell of suan sun is legendary, sour, funky and a little like strong cheese, but cooked into a bowl of luosifen (river-snail rice noodle soup), stir-fried with pork and chilli, or simmered with duck, it turns into a deep, savoury tang that locals crave. The slices stay crisp. Fresh shoots contain natural compounds that release cyanide, so suan sun is always cooked before eating: boil it for at least 10 minutes in your dish, and never eat it raw from the jar. Canned or vacuum-packed cooked shoots will not sour on their own; use fresh shoots, or add a little brine from an earlier ferment. Common mistake: letting slices float above the brine, where they go soft and mouldy; keep everything submerged under a weight. Normal: cloudy brine, bubbles, a sharp sour, funky smell, and a flat white film you can skim. Bad: fuzzy coloured mould, pink or black slime, or a rotten-egg, putrid smell; discard. It is ready after 2–3 weeks, when it tastes clearly sour. Chef's tip: ferment it in a shed; the smell travels.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the suan sun
- 2 ¼ lb fresh bamboo shootsabout 600 g once peeled
- 1 oz saltfor a 3% brine
- 1 litre cool boiled water
- 2 fresh red chillies (optional)halved
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Peel the 2 ¼ lb fresh bamboo shoots by cutting off the tough outer sheaths until you reach the pale, tender core. Trim the woody base, then slice lengthways 3–4 mm thick or cut into thin strips.
20 minStep 2: Scrub a 2 litre glass or ceramic jar with hot soapy water and rinse it with boiling water; let it dry. You also need a small glass weight or a water-filled bag.
10 minStep 3: Dissolve 1 oz salt in 1 litre cool boiled water to make a 3% brine (30 g salt per litre).
2 minStep 4: Pack the bamboo slices into the jar with the 2 fresh red chillies if using, pour over the brine to cover by 3 cm and weigh down so nothing floats. Leave at least 3 cm of space at the top. Cover with the lid resting loosely.
Step 5: Ferment at room temperature (18–77°F) for 2–3 weeks. Cloudy brine, bubbles and a sour, funky smell are normal; skim off any flat white film. Discard if you see fuzzy coloured mould, pink or black slime or smell rot. It is ready when a slice tastes clearly sour.
Step 6: Move to the fridge and keep covered by brine for up to 3 months. Always boil suan sun in your dish for at least 10 minutes before eating; never eat it raw.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 15 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does suan sun take?
- About 30 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
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