Legends from the West Lake: Zhejiang's West Lake Vinegar Fish

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  At a lakeside restaurant, the setting sun shines on a plate of freshly cooked West Lake vinegar fish, blending the tender fish with sweet and sour flavors.
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  In a Jiangnan classical garden, West Lake vinegar fish stands out at an exquisite banquet for its unique sweet and sour taste.
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  At a bustling night market, the aroma of West Lake vinegar fish drifts through the air, attracting food lovers.
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  In a hotel's banquet hall, West Lake vinegar fish as the main dish wins guests' praise for its exquisite appearance and unique flavor.
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  In a Zhejiang farmhouse, an elderly woman carefully cooks West Lake vinegar fish, filling the air with the fragrance of fish and vinegar.
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  At a food festival booth, West Lake vinegar fish attracts attention with its bright color and sweet and sour taste.
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  During traditional festivals in Zhejiang, every household prepares West Lake vinegar fish as a delicacy for the festive table.
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  In food photography, the luster and delicate texture of West Lake vinegar fish are perfectly captured, making one's mouth water.

A: The Culture and Flavor of Zhejiang West Lake Vinegar Fish

Zhejiang West Lake Vinegar Fish, a traditional Zhejiang dish known worldwide, is more than just a dish; it's a piece of history and culture. Originating from the Southern Song Dynasty and initially called "Brother and Sister-in-law's Treasure," it has evolved into today's West Lake Vinegar Fish. This dish uses grass carp from West Lake and pairs it with Hangzhou's specialty vinegar, creating a sweet and sour delicacy with a bright red color, tender meat, soft texture, and a hint of crab flavor, making it uniquely distinctive.

Cultural Background:

The story of West Lake Vinegar Fish is ancient and profound, carrying the history of Hangzhou and reflecting the philosophy of the local people's lives. In Hangzhou, Vinegar Fish often appears at banquets and festive celebrations, making it a signature dish on the dining table.

Features:

The specialty of West Lake Vinegar Fish lies in its unique cooking method and seasoning combination. The fish is parboiled until seventy percent cooked, then simmered with aged vinegar, sugar, ginger, and scallions, allowing the fish to absorb the sweet and sour flavors while maintaining its tenderness.

Taste and Texture:

West Lake Vinegar Fish has a fresh and sweet and sour taste. The fish, after meticulous cooking, retains its original flavor while incorporating the tangy and sweet notes of vinegar and the aroma of ginger and scallions, creating a rich and layered taste that lingers.

Appearance:

The dish has a bright red color, with the fish body intact, pectoral fins erect, and the eyes slightly protruding, conveying the freshness of the lake fish just minutes before.

Nutritional Value:

Grass carp is rich in protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and various trace elements, which are very beneficial to human health. Rice vinegar has the effect of softening blood vessels and reducing blood pressure, making it especially suitable for the elderly.

B: The Making of Zhejiang West Lake Vinegar Fish

Ingredients:

• Main ingredient: 1 grass carp

• Accessories: Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger puree, raw ginger, sugar, wet starch, pepper

Tools:

• Frying pan

• Knives

• Cutting board

Preparation of Ingredients:

1. Starve the grass carp for one to two days to expel grass and mud flavors, making the fish meat firm. Clean thoroughly before cooking.

2. Cut the fish from the tail into two pieces, remove the fish teeth, and make five slanted cuts on the male side of the fish, starting 4.5 cm from the gill cover, every 4.5 cm. Cut the fish into two sections for easy cooking.

Cooking Steps:

1. Boil 1000 ml of water in a frying pan, add the front half of the male fish, then place the tail section on top, followed by the female side, with the fish head aligned, skin facing up, and cover.

2. When the water boils again, remove the cover, skim off the foam, rotate the pan, and continue to boil for about three minutes. Gently poke the lower jaw of the male side of the fish; if it can be penetrated, it is cooked.

3. Leave 250 ml of soup in the pot, add soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and ginger puree, then remove the fish to a plate, skin side up, and arrange the two sides of the fish back to form a tail section with the male side, and drain the soup.

4. In the original soup, add sugar, rice vinegar, and wet starch to make a thickening sauce. The concentration of the sauce should be just right, hanging straight down from the spoon.

5. Finally, pour the boiling sauce slowly over the fish and sprinkle with a small amount of raw ginger.

Seasoning Tips:

1. It is best to use fresh grass carp.

2. Grass carp has a strong mud flavor, so it should be raised in clean water for a few days in advance.

3. The knife work is crucial and should not be easily changed.

4. The amount of water in the pot should be just right; too much will lose a lot of freshness, and nutrients will be lost. Too little will slow down the heat transfer and make it difficult to cook.

5. Soy sauce is used for color, which is the original color of "West Lake Vinegar Fish," and the taste is slightly sweet and sour, which is the characteristic of this dish.

6. The sauce should be thick and pourable over the fish, not too thick to affect the appearance, not too thin to damage the style of the dish.

Serving Suggestions:

1. West Lake Vinegar Fish is best enjoyed hot to maintain the best texture and flavor.

2. It can be paired with rice or noodles for a satisfying meal.