Miao-style Sour Soup Fish

Miao-style Sour Soup Fish

　　"Sour Soup Fish" is a famous and distinctive dish of the Miao people. It is made by cooking fresh carp or grass carp in a sour vegetable broth. The Miao people enjoy using this sour broth to cook fish, hence the name Sour Soup Fish. This dish is commonly served during festivals or when entertaining relatives and friends in Miao communities.

　　　　"Sour Soup Fish" comes in two varieties: one is a "vegetarian sour soup fish" that uses the sour soup as the main ingredient, and the other is an "oily sour soup fish" that features pickled chili as the main ingredient. For the "vegetarian sour soup fish," a live, fresh carp has its gallbladder removed and is then placed in clear water mixed with sour soup and salt, and cooked until half-done. It is then further cooked with a small amount of mustard greens, Chinese chives, Chinese cabbage, or tofu until fully done, and served with a "chili water" dip, offering a delicious and fresh taste. The "oily sour soup fish" involves stir-frying pickled chili in oil, adding water, placing the gallbladder-removed fish in the pot, and cooking it through. It is then garnished with chopped scallions, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and smartweed, among other spices. Its characteristics include being rich but not greasy, with a fresh flavor and bright color.

　　　　Clean the live fish. Then, in a wok, prepare the sour soup made from sour vegetable juice and the region’s unique cherry tomatoes. Once it comes to a boil, add the whole fish and pieces of chili, along with Sichuan peppercorns and salt. Cook until the fish is fully done, then remove the wok from the heat and let it cool. Take out the fish and the soup, mix in some chili powder, and you’ll have a deliciously flavorful Sour Soup Fish. The finished dish features tender fish, a tangy and aromatic taste, and is extremely palatable.