My hometown is in Wanbei (northern Anhui), and the most unforgettable delicacy there is the small fish pot stickers. It is similar to the ground pot that can be found in the streets and alleys of the city. These two delicacies should be They have the same origin, but the ground pot has obviously been improved by merchants to facilitate mass production in urban restaurants. Upon closer inspection, the methods and materials used are very different, and the taste is even different.
The most authentic way to eat hometown pot stickers is small fish pot stickers. In my hometown, before cooking any dish, you can put a circle of pot stickers on it and eat it casually, but to be more serious, only the small fish pot stickers have the most flavor.
To make small fish pot stickers, the most important thing is to choose the fish. The fish is small, miscellaneous and fresh. In the past, the village was dotted with ditches and ponds. It was normal to catch fish and shrimps, but one had to depend on the weather for food. Fishes were of different sizes and shapes, and there was no way to pick them. Sometimes even shrimps and loaches were not available. I disliked it, so I just stewed it in one pot, but it is this eclectic randomness that makes this kind of food endlessly delicious. Not only the fish is small and the meat is tender, but the fish of different flavors roasting each other together creates an even richer flavor that cannot be melted away.
The most precious thing about making small fish pot stickers in my hometown is that the fish can be caught and eaten at any time, and the fish that each person can get together are different every day, and you cannot quantitatively define them. Any kind of flavor, it has to be the correct ratio. In fact, the soul of the delicious fish pot stickers lies in that each dish is a chemical reaction of different fish. You can never figure out where the most wonderful taste is, but it seems that you will have endless aftertaste every time. It is difficult to miss it. Find it again.
The method is also key. It must be made in a large iron pot with firewood, not the stingy little pots in restaurants. You need to heat the oil until it sizzles, and then pour the washed fish into the pot. The oil explodes one after another, the oil smoke rises, and the smell of fish quickly fills the entire kitchen. Standing next to it, your sense of smell can start your happy journey in advance.
When frying fish, it is best to burn wheat straw or straw in the stove. It is flammable and the firepower is even and strong. It can heat the pan quickly without frying it. After frying, put water on it. It is best to add it now. Made from soybean straw, it is resistant to burning and has long-lasting firepower. It can be stewed slowly and vigorously. While the fish is stewing, important work begins on the other side.
Little fish pot stickers, as the name suggests, pot stickers are equally popular.
Most of the ground pots in the city have pieces of pancake attached to the pot rim, making it easier for different people to pick them up with chopsticks. In fact, in my hometown, I put a circle around the edge of the pot, and it is thick enough. This is not only a matter of large enough amount to eat, because the fish soup is simmered for a long time, and if the pot stickers are very thin, they will either be sticky after being cooked, or they will be added after cooking and have not yet tasted.
Only thick pot stickers can withstand long-term stewing without becoming rotten, and at the same time, they can absorb the umami flavor of the fish soup into the noodles to the maximum extent. I also discovered an inexplicable way of eating pot stickers in the city. Some restaurants like to use fermented noodles to make pot stickers. I can't stand it. The fermented noodles soak in the soup and become limp and boring to eat. The pot stickers in my hometown are also called dead-face pancakes. They absolutely do not use any baking powder. The flour is directly mixed with water to form a dough. Put a circle around the fish soup in the iron pot. It's chewy and fragrant. Just thinking about it makes me drool.