West Lake Vinegar Fish

West Lake Vinegar Fish

　　West Lake Vinegar Fish, also known as "Passed Down by Brother and Sister-in-Law," is said to have originated from an ancient tale in which a sister-in-law cooked a fish in sweet and sour sauce for her younger brother-in-law. A medium-sized grass carp is chosen, preferably blanched first in clear water with precise heat control. After plating, it is drizzled with a sweet and sour starch sauce. The finished dish is bright red in color, tender in texture, pleasantly sweet and sour, with a hint of crab flavor. (Hangzhou)

　　Ingredients

　　One 600g live grass carp, 4 scallions, 5 slices of ginger.

　　Cooking Method

　　1. First, prepare the live grass carp. Scale the fish, clean it, then cut it open along the back to remove the internal organs. Split the fish head as well so that it lies flat as if connected at the belly. Make several knife cuts on the fish body—this cutting technique is called "peony slice cutting," which helps the flavors penetrate more easily during cooking.

　　2. Heat the pan over medium heat, add 50g (1 liang) of oil, then put in the scallions and ginger slices. Once fragrant, add 15g (3 qian) of Shaoxing wine, pour in water (enough to submerge the fish), then add 30g (6 qian) of soy sauce and 5g (1 qian) of salt. Bring to a boil, then add the fish. First bring it to a rapid boil, then lower to medium heat until the fish is cooked but not overdone. The trick is: when the fish fins stand up and the eyes bulge, it’s time to take it out. This ensures the meat remains tender. Typically, it takes about 15 minutes from boiling to serving.

　　3. Scoop out 100g (2 liang) of the fish broth and place it in a wok. Add 10g (2 qian) of soy sauce, 50g (1 liang) of sugar, 50g (1 liang) of rice vinegar, and a bit of salt. Bring to a boil, then stir in 30g (6 qian) of cornstarch slurry to thicken into a sauce—the sweet and sour glaze. Drizzle a little hot oil into the sauce, then pour it over the fish. Sprinkle with 10g (2 qian) of very finely minced ginger on top.

　　Grass carp is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial to blood circulation, making it a good food choice for cardiovascular patients. It contains abundant selenium, and regular consumption can help resist aging, nourish the skin, and has certain preventive and therapeutic effects on tumors. It also warms the stomach, harmonizes the middle, soothes the liver, dispels wind, treats arthralgia, prevents malaria, benefits the intestines, and improves vision. It is used to treat fatigue, deficiency headache, liver yang hyperactivity, hypertension, headache, and chronic malaria. Ginger: Fresh ginger has detoxifying and antibacterial properties, so it is commonly added when eating foods like preserved eggs or seafood such as fish and crabs, usually in the form of minced ginger or ginger juice. The gingerol in ginger can combat aging, and elderly people who often consume ginger may reduce "age spots." Ginger extracts can stimulate the gastric mucosa, cause reflexive excitement of the vasomotor center and sympathetic nerves, promote blood circulation, invigorate gastric function, and achieve the effects of improving digestion, relieving pain, inducing perspiration, and reducing fever. The volatile oils in ginger can enhance gastric juice secretion and intestinal wall peristalsis, thereby aiding digestion. A mixture of gingerene and zingerone isolated from ginger has a significant antiemetic effect. Ginger extract has a notable inhibitory effect on skin fungi and can kill pinworms, making it useful in treating various abscesses and skin infections. Ginger also inhibits cancer cell activity and reduces the toxicity of carcinogens.