Fish Biting Lamb

Fish Biting Lamb

　　　A renowned mixed-flavor dish from Huizhou, it is made by stuffing lamb into a fish’s belly, then sealing and cooking it. Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, a farmer from Huizhou Prefecture was taking four sheep across the Lianjiang River on a ferry. Due to the small and crowded cabin, he accidentally pushed an adult ram into the river. The sheep, unable to swim, struggled for a while before sinking into the deep water. The sinking of the sheep attracted many fish. When the sheep sank to the bottom, the fish swarmed around, competing fiercely to eat the lamb. Having eaten too much, the fish became disoriented. Coincidentally, a nearby fisherman was passing by in his small boat and, seeing so many fish darting about on the surface, was overjoyed and couldn’t help but cast his net. To his surprise, the fish did not flop around as usual but lay quietly in the net. When the fisherman pulled the net ashore and took it home, he noticed that the fish were unusually heavy. He cut open one fish’s belly and found it stuffed with lamb. Intrigued, he cleaned the fish, sealed the incision, and cooked it along with the bits of lamb inside. The result was a dish where the fish was crispy, the meat tender, free of fishy or mutton odors, with a deliciously savory broth and unique flavor. When the news spread, some local food enthusiasts tried making the dish themselves—and sure enough, it had an extraordinary taste. From then on, locals named this dish “Fish Biting Lamb.” Over time, it became a famous dish in Huizhou cuisine.

　　From the ancient “Lamb Hidden in Fish” to today’s lamb-stuffed fish, here is the traditional summer recipe for “Fish Biting Lamb,” a classic representation of summer lamb dishes.

　　Main ingredients: One mandarin fish or osmanthus fish (about 400g), 250g of lamb flank meat.

　　 Garnishes: 10g of chopped scallions, 15g of ginger slices, 5g of cilantro, 2 star anise.

　　 Seasonings: 750g of soy sauce, 5g of salt, 13g of sugar, 25g of Shaoxing wine, 7.5g of white pepper, 750g of pork bone broth, 100g of cooked pork.

　　 Preparation: Insert chopsticks into the fish’s mouth to remove the internal organs, then clean the fish. Cut the lamb into strips measuring 3.3×2cm, blanch and drain. Stir-fry the lamb, add seasonings, and cook until 80% done, then remove the seasoning residue and stuff the lamb into the fish’s belly.

　　Heat oil in a pan to 60% heat, place the marinated fish in the pan, fry until golden brown on both sides, then remove and place in a clay pot. Combine the remaining 1/3 of the garnishes and seasonings with the bone broth and some of the original lamb juice, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for half an hour. Once the broth is rich and the fish is crispy with tender meat, remove the residue, sprinkle with pepper and cilantro, drizzle with a bit of hot oil, and serve.