Pingnan Loach Buns

Pingnan Loach Buns

　　Pingnan has a dish called loach buns — crispy, savory loach buns with a truly unique flavor.

　　Loaches are small, scaleless fish commonly found in the rice paddies of Pingnan. The largest ones are no thicker than an adult’s thumb and rarely grow longer than ten centimeters. Originally, wild loaches were abundant in the rice fields, and farmers would often scoop up quite a few while plowing and tilling the land. This gave them the idea to turn the loaches into a delicious dish. The rural version of loach buns is pan-fried. The method involves first placing some cold water in a pot, adding live loaches, and heating until the water boils. Once cooked, the loaches are scooped out, their bellies slit open with a bamboo skewer, and the internal organs removed. Then, they are rolled in sweet potato starch to coat them evenly before being placed in a hot pan to fry. When they no longer stick to the pan, they are flipped and fried until golden brown. At this point, some perilla leaves or pickled vegetables are added and stir-fried briefly, followed by a small amount of broth. Once the broth comes to a boil, seasonings are added, and the dish is ready to be served.

　　Loach buns were originally a humble home-cooked dish, but it was the people of Qian Gaoxi Village who first elevated it to perfection, making it famous and widely loved.

　　Linxin Restaurant in Qian Gaoxi Village, Changqiao Town, Pingnan County, experimented with deep-frying the loach buns. Once fried, a sprinkle of pepper and other spices is added before serving, often accompanied by a dip made of garlic and vinegar. The deep-fried loach buns become so tender that even the bones and spines become crispy, allowing diners to enjoy both the meat and the bones. This preparation quickly won over customers, and Linxin Restaurant’s loach buns gained increasing fame. Travelers and merchants passing through the village almost never missed the chance to try them. (By Jiang Liangre)

　　Source: People's Government of Fujian Province