Winter Bamboo Shoot and Cured Ham Braise

Ingredients

• winter bamboo shoots (冬筍)
• cured ham (火肉)
• rock sugar (冰糖)

Instructions

1. Cut the winter bamboo shoots into cubes. Cut the cured ham into cubes. Braise them together in a pot.
2. Rinse the cured ham twice in cold water to remove salt, then add rock sugar and braise until tender.
3. If the dish is to be held overnight for the next day's meal, reserve the braising liquid. The following day, return the ham to the liquid and heat it through at a rolling boil — this is the proper method. If the ham is left dry, separated from its liquid, the exposure to air will cause it to become dry and the meat to shrivel. If plain water is used instead, the flavor becomes insipid.