Songzi Fish Cake

Songzi Fish Cake

　　One of the Top Ten Local Famous Dishes of Songzi City

　　　　Songzi Fish Cake boasts a distinctive local flavor and has long been a renowned dish in the Jingchu region. It is celebrated for its unique qualities—fish that tastes like meat, meat that carries the aroma of fish, a tender and snow-white texture that melts in the mouth—and has remained popular through the ages.

　　　　Legend has it that during the Northern Song Dynasty, Songzi Fish Cake was already famous throughout the Jingchu area. It was often served as the first dish at banquets hosted by nobles and officials, known at the time as the “First Fish Feast.” Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, the making of fish cake has become widespread among common folk, and it has become an essential dish at celebrations in Songzi. Over time, it has evolved into a traditional delicacy with a unique local flavor. Visiting Songzi without trying—or bringing back—some fish cake would be a great pity.

　　　　 The ingredients for fish cake include 10 pounds of fresh fish, 2 pounds of fatty pork (skin removed), and 2 to 3 pounds of water, mixed with appropriate amounts of scallions, ginger, pepper, monosodium glutamate, and other seasonings. The fish is scraped, cleaned, deboned, and drained, while the fatty pork is minced into a paste. These are placed in a large basin, combined with egg whites and seasonings, then mixed with an appropriate amount of salt and water. The mixture is stirred vigorously. To test the consistency, a small ball of the mixture is dropped into water: if it doesn’t move, it’s too dry; if it sinks quickly, there’s too much water; the ideal texture allows it to float without sinking. Then, the mixture is spread evenly in a steaming tray to a thickness of about 5 centimeters and steamed for 15 minutes. The surface moisture is wiped off with a cloth, and the top is coated evenly with egg yolk and decorated with edible saffron. It is then steamed for another 10 minutes, removed from the steamer to cool, and is ready. For serving, it is cut into strips approximately 8–10 cm long, 5 cm wide, and 0.8–1.5 cm thick, arranged in a bowl, steamed again until fully cooked, then inverted onto a plate to be served.

　　　　Dish Characteristics: Songzi Fish Cake boasts a distinctive local flavor and has long been a renowned dish in the Jingchu region. It is celebrated for its unique qualities—fish that tastes like meat, meat that carries the aroma of fish, a tender and snow-white texture that melts in the mouth—and has remained popular through the ages.

　　　　Preparation Method: The ingredients for fish cake include 10 pounds of fresh fish, 2 pounds of fatty pork (skin removed), and 2 to 3 pounds of water, mixed with appropriate amounts of scallions, ginger, pepper, monosodium glutamate, and other seasonings. The fish is scraped, cleaned, deboned, and drained, while the fatty pork is minced into a paste. These are placed in a large basin, combined with egg whites and seasonings, then mixed with an appropriate amount of salt and water. The mixture is stirred vigorously. To test the consistency, a small ball of the mixture is dropped into water: if it doesn’t move, it’s too dry; if it sinks quickly, there’s too much water; the ideal texture allows it to float without sinking. Then, the mixture is spread evenly in a steaming tray to a thickness of about 5 centimeters and steamed for 15 minutes. The surface moisture is wiped off with a dry cloth, and the top is coated evenly with egg yolk and decorated with edible saffron. It is then steamed for another 10 minutes, removed from the steamer to cool, and is ready.