Fish head with chopped pepper is a traditional Hunan dish, which belongs to Hunan cuisine. According to legend, the origin is related to Huang Zongxian, a scholar in Qing Dynasty. Generally, the head of bighead and chopped pepper are the main ingredients, and steamed 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 chopped pepper fish head can be traced back to the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, when Huang Zongxian, an anti-Qing scholar, fled because he was afraid of literary inquisition.
On the way, I passed a small village in Hunan and lived 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, cook it with salt, then chop it with homemade peppers and steam it with the fish head. I don't want Huang Zongxian to think it's 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.