Fire Square Yuan Yuan Silver Fish

Fire Square Yuan Yuan Silver Fish

　　Fire Square Yuan Yuan Silver Fish

　　Cooking Method

　　1. Wash the ham shank once in boiling water with a bit of alkali, then rinse thoroughly in warm water. Place it in a soup pot and boil for one hour. Remove, pluck off any hair on the skin with tweezers, and carefully trim off impurities. Make crisscross cuts 2/3 deep on the lean side

　　. Place it in a bowl, skin-side down, add cooking wine, and steam over cold water in a steamer for one hour. Remove, drain the liquid, replace with chicken broth, and steam until fully tender.

　　2. Slice the white part of the green onion into sections. Crush the remaining green onions and ginger. Remove the outer leaves of the baby bok choy, keep the small inner leaves, wash them, blanch in boiling water, then rinse in cold water.

　　3. Cut off the heads and tails of dried silver fish, soak in cold water, remove impurities, wash twice, then soak again in clean water.

　　4. Heat a wok, add regular broth, green onions, ginger, silver fish, cooking wine, and salt. Bring to a boil, simmer, then pour through a colander to drain. Discard the green onions and ginger, place the silver fish in a serving bowl, and sprinkle with pepper and sliced green onions. Meanwhile, take out the ham shank and place it on top of the silver fish. Pour the ham shank broth into the wok, add clear chicken broth, salt, baby bok choy leaves, and MSG. Bring to a boil, adjust the seasoning, skim off foam, and pour over the ham shank and silver fish in the serving bowl. Drizzle with chicken oil and serve.

　　Key Techniques

　　Boil the silver fish over high heat; amount of broth: just enough to cover ingredients halfway; use silver fish from Yuanjiang County, Hunan Province.

　　Flavor Characteristics

　　1. Silver fish, also known as kingfish, silver strip fish, or noodle fish, are 6 to 7 centimeters long, smooth-bodied, scaleless and boneless, soft and silky, silvery-transparent, with a flat head, large mouth, and teeth. They are hailed as the “king of freshwater delicacies.” Autumn is their prime fishing season. Freshly caught silver fish must be processed, dried, or smoked promptly; otherwise, they will dissolve into water within an hour.

　　2. Silver fish are delicious and nutritious, rich in protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1,

　　B2

　　, and niacin. Their protein content can reach up to 70%, and they are sweet, mild, and non-toxic. They benefit the spleen, moisten the lungs, nourish kidneys, eliminate deficiencies, strengthen yang, and nourish yin. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* states: “Made into a soup, it aids digestion and strengthens the stomach.” *The Truth in Materia Medica* says silver fish “made into a soup can aid digestion and strengthen the stomach without the greasiness that burdens the middle.” *Dietary Therapy in Everyday Life* also notes: “Nourishes stomach yin, harmonizes meridians, smaller ones are better, can be used in cooking.”

　　3. This dish features a blend of red, white, and green colors. The silver fish are tender and fresh, the ham fragrant and rich, and the broth is clear and flavorful.