Fish Porridge

Fish Porridge

　　Fish Porridge

　　Far from the hustle and bustle of big cities, Enping offers authentic hometown cuisine. The fish used in this porridge come from the mountain streams of Enping’s deep hills. What makes them unique is that they stop growing once they reach the length of an index finger. These fish, raised in mountain stream water, are incredibly sweet and fresh. After being deep-fried and served with plain congee or steamed rice, they taste absolutely fantastic.

　　People in Enping tend not to add things like meat or fish into their congee. Instead, they prefer to eat pure white congee made simply with rice—sticky, smooth, and savored slowly to enjoy its original flavor and the aroma of the grains. When eating congee, it’s common to pair it with side dishes, the most typical being small fish that have been briefly blanched in hot oil and then steamed until soft. These fish grow in mountain streams, have no bones, only meat, and are quite small—so small you can eat several in one bite. Their flavor is especially delicious.