Bamboo shoot sheaths for wrapping

A CLOSER LOOK

How to recognize it

Broad, tapering, fibrous sheaths, often brown and mottled when dry. They are not bamboo foliage or the edible shoot flesh.

In the kitchen

Used to enclose rice dumplings during cooking. Remove the sheath and ties before eating the filling.

Shape and color vary with bamboo and drying. This is a wrapper, not an edible garnish; do not substitute unidentified plant material.

Ask about this ingredient

A few dishes to explore

These examples use this ingredient in typical or optional preparations. Open the dish to see the distinction; a restaurant’s recipe can differ.

Ankang chilled zongzi

安康凉粽Shaanxi