Chop bell pepper fish head is a traditional dish in Hunan province, belonging to Hunan cuisine. According to legend, the origin is related to Huang Zongxian, a scholar in the Qing Dynasty. It is usually steamed with bighead carp fish head and chopped pepper as the main ingredients, with soy sauce, ginger, onion, garlic and other accessories. The dishes are bright red in color, rich in flavor and tender in meat. Fat but not greasy, soft and waxy, fresh and spicy.
It is said that the origin of the fish head with chopped pepper can be traced back to the Yongzheng period in the Qing Dynasty, when Huang Zongxian, an anti-Qing scholar, fled because of his taboo on literary inquisition.
On the way, I passed through a small village in Hunan and stayed with a poor farmer. The farmer caught a chubby fish from the pond, and the peasant woman entertained Huang Zongxian with cooking. After the fish is washed, the fish is boiled with salt, and then chopped with homemade peppers and steamed with the fish head. I don't want Huang Zongxian to feel very delicious and unforgettable. After returning home, I asked the chef to improve this dish, so today's "Fish Head with Chopped Pepper" came into being and became the representative of steamed Hunan cuisine.