The most unforgettable thing when I was a child was the braised fish cooked by my grandmother. It was in the countryside at that time. My family will go to the reservoir to buy a fat and big carp, which is still alive. I put it in a basin. The fish's eyes are black and its cheeks are closed. Some fish may know that their time is running out, so they flap their wings desperately. Its body is cold and slippery. I don't remember killing fish. Anyway, it was caught on the cheek of the fish, and there were fish bubbles, fish eggs and fish guts in the fish's stomach. Whenever grandma cleans up the fish, scarlet blood will float in the iron basin, giving off a foul smell, and the fish scales will drift into colorful pieces. The fish will be hollowed out, the body will become light and thin, and you can feel the texture of the fish. The fish offal will be used to feed chickens and ducks. What kind of big black iron pot, stove and barbecue does my grandmother use for cooking? Watching her cook, soybean oil is poured into the pot, and when it is hot, it will emit plumes of smoke, then add pepper, star anise and onion ginger, and stir fry with a whip to give out the fragrance. Then grandma will put the dripping fish into the pot and squeak. Every oil molecule will scream because of the soaking of water droplets, and by the way, there will be a puff of smoke. Grandma will fry the fish first, and the skin will wrinkle and turn golden yellow.

When it's almost fried, grandma will add a lot of water and start stewing. In the meantime, she will put a lot of seasonings, such as salt, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce. Then the room will be full of delicious fishy smell. Those smells are like invisible shadows, climbing the beams and getting into the corridor. Very naughty. The room will be full of smells. Boil for about fifteen minutes, and then you can lift the pot and lift the lid. It's steam and smell. There's the fish. I don't know where this soul will go next. I hope you won't cook fish next time. Although you swim freely in the water, you will be easily eaten, as you have been doing all your life. Grandma will fish out the fish with a long plate specially made for fish, then pour the soup and sprinkle with coriander, and then serve. Its aroma smells salty, and the white meat at the belly of the fish is tender and steaming. The meat tastes weak, just dip it in the soup. I like fish very much and I have never been stabbed. After eating a lot of fish eyes, I am still nearsighted. Some people say that eating the bone marrow in the fish spine will make you smart, but I haven't eaten that. Now almost 20 years have passed. I haven't eaten grandma's fish for a long time. She can't cook now. A few years ago, she cooked fish for me for the last time. She should have put a lot of salt in it, but I ate it all anyway. In recent years, her health has been getting worse and worse. I am far away from her, but I know that our hearts are always connected. She loves me very much, I know. Sometimes, I think we are like fish, seemingly free, but many things are controlled by others.