Wang Xiang Lying on the Fish

Wang Xiang Lying on the Fish

　　In ancient times, there was a small village located 15 kilometers north of Linyi City, with a small river running west of the village. In this village lived a poor young man named Wang Xiang. His stepmother lay sick in bed, refusing to eat or drink. One day, she suddenly craved carp, but Wang Xiang had no money to buy any. It was the depths of winter, the river was frozen solid, and catching fish seemed hopeless. Driven by his deep love for his mother, Wang Xiang went to the river west of the village, lay down on the ice, and tried to melt it with his body heat in order to get into the water and catch fish. Touched by his actions, Heaven responded: as Wang Xiang rose from the ice, a red carp leapt out, breaking through the frozen surface. Overjoyed, Wang Xiang took the carp home, cooked it, and after eating it, his mother gradually recovered and eventually regained her health. To commemorate this paragon of filial piety, the village was later renamed Xiaoyou Village (Filial Piety Village), and the river became known as Xiaohé (Filial River). Today, within the Baishabu area, a memorial shrine stands by the river. The story of “Wang Xiang Lying on the Fish” is often used to teach future generations about filial devotion. Modern chefs have also created a fish-cooking method inspired by this tale, named “Wang Xiang Lying on the Fish.”

Ingredients: One red carp, about 750g; 75g soybean oil; appropriate amounts of scallion segments, ginger slices, garlic slices, salt, MSG, cooking wine, ground pepper, coriander segments, Sichuan peppercorns, and vinegar.

Method: Scale, clean, and gut a live red carp, then slice decorative cuts into the fish. Heat the soybean oil in a pan, add Sichuan peppercorns to release their aroma, then remove and set aside. Place the fish in the pan and fry both sides until golden. Add scallions, ginger, and garlic to sauté until fragrant. Pour in water along with salt and ground pepper, and simmer until the fish is cooked and the sauce turns milky white. Add MSG and more ground pepper, then transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with coriander segments, and serve.