Stinky Mandarin Fish is a traditional Han Chinese dish from Anhui Province.

Smelly Mandarin Fish, also known as smelly gui fish, barrel fresh fish, barrel fish, pickled fresh fish, is a traditional Huizhou dish, one of the representatives of Huizhou cuisine, in Anhui Huizhou area (now Huangshan City, Anhui Province, the area of the so-called pickled fresh in Huizhou local vernacular has the meaning of stink. This "flavor Mandarin Fish" smells bad, but tastes good, the meat is tender, smooth and refreshing, maintaining the original flavor of Mandarin Fish.

Origin of Siniperca chuatsi

The emergence of Siniperca chuatsi is very much related to the Huizhou merchants. In ancient times, Huizhou was mountainous, and the treacherous geography, coupled with the lack of cold-chain transportation capabilities, made the fish trafficked over often decay. On the way to prevent fresh fish from deteriorating, fishmongers would sprinkle a layer of fish with a layer of light brine, pickle it, ferment it, and turn it up and down to make sure it sold.

So seven or eight days after arriving in Tunxi and other places, the gills are still red, scales are not off, the quality has not changed, only the skin gives off a kind of seemingly smelly non-smelly special odor. This "stink" comes from the fermentation of protein in the fish, although the smell "stink", but in the cooking process, most of the "stinky substances" will evaporate.