Huangzhou Stinky Mandarin Fish - Representative of Anhui cuisine.

Cultural allusion of Mandarin Fish:

Legend has it that during the Southern Song Dynasty, merchants in the ancient Huizhou region caught Mandarin fish every year at the time of spring and summer, when the fish were the most plump, and transported them down the Xin'an River to Lin'an, the capital city of the country, to sell them. Due to the long distance, inconvenient transportation and poor preservation conditions, they often suffered heavy losses due to rotting caused by the hot weather. Once a businessman after the loss, life is difficult to continue, his wife tried to deteriorated Mandarin fish, fried in rapeseed oil with sauce, green onions, ginger burnt, found that the fish stench, but there is a light special flavor, the fish meat is warm and moist like jade, was garlic cloves, the mouth is tender and chewy, than the fresh Mandarin fish has a different flavor, after the later generations of chefs to improve the research, has now become the public's favorite dish, since then. The legend of this stinky Mandarin fish in Huizhou has begun.

Smelly Mandarin fish curing method:

First of all, we should remove the organs of the Mandarin fish, because the organs are one of the causes of its perishability. After removing the organs, the fish should be evenly salted all over, and then placed in a wooden barrel and stacked layer by layer to the top of the barrel, like a stack of Luohan. When the fish is ready to be stacked, it is pressed down with a large stone so that the water is squeezed out of the fish, and the texture of the Mandarin fish is made firmer in this way. If you find it more troublesome to rub salt on the fish, you can just put the fish in and pour in the brine at the end. These two methods are the same thing.

After the marinade, it's time to wait for the fermentation. Fermentation is a very delicate process, the ability to have a mesmerizing smell, all depends on this step. This process is quite a test for the master, the temperature and humidity have to be precisely controlled, a little carelessness, will be a lost cause, these Mandarin fish will be from the freshness of the road to another - rotting odor.

The master has to find a place with constant temperature and humidity to place the pickled fish, and in addition to the high environmental requirements, it is also crucial to help the salted fish turn over at the right time. Only in this way can the fish ferment just right, and the next pot will not really turn into a pot of stinky fish. As we all know, numerous microorganisms are produced during the fermentation process.

Together with the breakdown of proteins, this chemical process will precipitate many flavorful substances that are difficult to find in fish itself, such as glutamic acid and aspartic acid. This stage was also visualized in "China on the Tip of the Tongue". These precipitated substances, as they waft through our noses, give rise to that unmistakable smell that says it stinks, and that says it doesn't smell.

In fact, this is not a cold knowledge, in a long time ago, there are online articles, to speak of our daily consumption of things, in fact, the aroma and odor is the same root. Among them, there is a compound called indole, a large amount of which is odor, and vice versa. The amount of this substance in Mandarin fish probably fluctuates between the two.

Methods of making Mandarin fish:

Before putting the fish into the pot, the Anhui chef will wash and soak the fish first, so as to remove the overpowering flavor on it. After that, it will be changed into a flower knife which is easy to be flavored. First front and back frying, and then add chili peppers as well as other seasoning powder. After that, add water and simmer, and finally reduce the sauce, and then serve.

Stinky Mandarin Fish in the Eyes of Literati:

In the poems of the literati and writers, it is also a frequent image, in addition to the familiar "peach blossoms and flowing water mandarin fish are fat, a wave is only followed by a ten thousand waves", and there are also "netting the scales of the Mandarin fish is like an ink brocade, and through the willow is a golden silk".

Nutritional value of Mandarin fish

Contains protein, fat, a small amount of vitamins, calcium, potassium, magnesium, selenium and other nutrients, tender meat, very easy to digest, for children, the elderly and the frail, the spleen and stomach digestive function of the people, eat Mandarin fish can make up for the weak, but also do not have to worry about the digestive difficulties; and eat Mandarin fish has a "consumptive worm" effect, that is to say, in favor of the Mandarin fish, the fish can be used to make up for the weakness, but also need to worry about digestion difficulties.

How does Mandarin fish taste?

Hot Mandarin fish on the table, gently poked with chopsticks, fish mottled into pieces, clip a piece of mouth, the tender meat, fish freshness, taste of the absolute mixture of different levels of flavor immediately fill your mouth, chewing and swallowing down, a variety of joy spread to the stomach.

What programs have Mandarin fish been on?

Huizhou Mandarin Fish has been featured in programs such as "China on the Tip of the Tongue", "Fresh Kitchen", "12 Tastes of the Frontier", and "Daily Farming Economics" (20150210).

What are the achievements of Huizhou Mandarin Fish?

In recent years, "Huizhou Mandarin Fish" has won a number of awards in national culinary competitions, and "Huizhou Mandarin Fish" won the national championship in the National Catering Industry Vocational Skills Competition in 2021, and "Huizhou Mandarin Fish" won the national championship in 2021, and "Huizhou Mandarin Fish" won the national championship in the National Catering Industry Vocational Skills Competition in 2021. In 2021, "Huizhou Mandarin Fish" won the national champion in the National Catering Industry Vocational Skills Competition, and in 2021, "Huizhou Mandarin Fish" won the Special Gold Medal in Anhui Province Vocational Skills Competition.