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A close-up of a bowl of clear soup with slices of bamboo shoots, a piece of pork rib, and a teal spoon. The soup is light and served in an autumn sunset bowl placed on a blue tablecloth. A second bowl is partially visible in the background.
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bamboo shoot soup

This cozy Taiwanese bamboo shoot soup will instantly transport you to the kitchens of Taiwan. Each spoonful offers a delightful crunch and a subtly sweet note reminiscent of tender baby corn. It features fresh bamboo shoots, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs, and a simple clear broth from simmered pork ribs – it's light yet brimming with deep umami flavor.
prep time10 minutes
cook time40 minutes
total time50 minutes
servings: 6 servings (2 ½ cups each)
author: cindy chou

ingredients

  • 1 pound bone-in pork spare ribs cut into individual ribs or buy already cut pieces (see note)
  • 3 ½ quarts cold water divided
  • 2 ½ pound fresh bamboo shoot Taiwan or ‘ma bamboo’ preferred (麻竹筍), peeled, about 1 ½ pounds after peeling (substitute with ‘green bamboo shoot’ - see note)
  • 1- inch piece ginger thinly sliced at an angle
  • 2 tablespoons michiu Taiwanese rice cooking wine, optional
  • ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon if not using michiu, use half the amount if using sea salt or table salt
  • 1 light sprinkle ground white pepper less than ⅛ teaspoon, optional

instructions

  • Place pork spare ribs in a medium (3-quart) saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to simmer over high heat, then immediately turn off the heat and strain the pork spare ribs. Rinse the pork spare ribs with cold water and gently scrub until the water runs clear. (Scrubbing is optional but helps with creating a clear broth at the end).
  • While the pot heats, peel the bamboo shoots. Using the heel of a Chinese vegetable cleaver or chef's knife, make a lengthwise cut in the peel (about ½-inch deep), starting from the bottom. As you reach the top, pivot the knife to loosen the outer layers, then peel off the remaining shell with your hands. Place the flat bottom of the bamboo shoot on the cutting board. Slice off the fuzzy outer layer until only the white inner part remains. Cut the peeled bamboo into 3- to 4-inch sections, then quarter each section lengthwise. Slice the quarters into ½-inch wide pieces.
  • Transfer the parboiled pork spare ribs, cut bamboo, ginger slices, 2 tablespoons michiu (if using), ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon if not using michiu (*use half the amount if using sea salt), and optional 1 light sprinkle of ground white pepper to a large (4-quart) saucepan or dutch oven. Fill with cold water until the ingredients are fully submerged (about 2 quarts).
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 40 minutes.
  • Serve while hot with a side of rice or noodles.

equipment and highlighted ingredients

notes

Please refer to the recipe post above for step-by-step photos, FAQs, and pro tips.
bamboo shoots – I prefer ma bamboo (麻竹筍) aka ‘sweet bamboo’ or ‘Taiwan bamboo shoot’ for this recipe because they’re bigger, have less bitterness when raw, and require less prep for the same amount of bamboo. Luckily, it’s available to order online from Weee! when it’s in season between April and November.
  • You can also use 綠竹筍 (lǜ zhúsǔn) aka green bamboo or 孟宗筍 (mèngzōng sǔn) aka winter bamboo, which is sometimes labeled as ‘bamboo shoot’ or ‘fresh bamboo.’ I’ve tested this recipe with all three types. Green bamboo and winter bamboo will require an extra prep step though – after peeling and cutting, you’ll want to simmer them in cold water with about 2 tablespoons of uncooked white rice for 20-25 minutes. Then, strain and add the bamboo to the soup in step 3.
 
salt – This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt since it has lower sodium levels per volume, making it easier to layer the seasoning without accidentally oversalting a dish. It can be found in some grocery stores or online. *If using sea salt, use half of the amount listed in the recipe.
storage: This dish tastes even better reheated! It can be made one day ahead of time – transfer to containers with covers and allow it to properly cool before storing in the refrigerator.
reheat: Microwave or steam in your Tatung cooker to reheat. Make sure the ingredients are still fully submerged in the soup when reheating so the pork ribs stay moist and tender (you can top it off with a little bit of clean water too).
Tatung cooker instructions (optional method):
The stovetop method works perfectly, but why not use a tatung cooker (大同電鍋) if you have one? It's such a quick and easy alternative method. I use a 10-cup Tatung cooker (*paid affiliate link) for soups like this.
  1. Follow the recipe steps for parboiling the pork ribs above.
  2. Transfer cleaned pork spare ribs, cut bamboo, ginger slices, 2 tablespoons michiu (if using), ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon if not using michiu (*use half the amount if using sea salt), and optional 1 light sprinkle of ground white pepper to the inner pot of your Tatung Cooker. Fill with cold water until the ingredients are fully submerged (about 1 to 1½ quarts).
  3. Fill the outer pot with 2 rice cups of water (about 1½ cup if using a regular liquid measuring cup).
  4. Cover, turn on the cooker, and press the switch down to cook for 1 hour. The switch should automatically pop up around that time as well.
tried this recipe?Tag me @thesoundofcooking! I'd love to see what you made.