Five-Spice Smoked Fish from the Yao Village

Five-Spice Smoked Fish from the Yao Village

　　The Five-Spice Smoked Fish

　　The “Five-Spice Smoked Fish” is a traditional salted fish dish of the Yao people in the mountain fields, a unique delicacy specially prepared to entertain honored guests.

　　When guests arrive, the simple and hospitable hosts will pick out one or two pieces of golden fish jerky from a small jar—coated with spicy fermented grain bits and fragrant with rich flavors of ginger, garlic, wine, and spices. Once served, the host goes to the kitchen to fetch a knife and cutting board, trims off the head and tail of the fish, then cuts it into several pieces according to the number of diners at the table (including the host), serving each person their portion in their bowl for tasting. Since the fish is already cooked, there’s no need to boil it further—it can be eaten directly. The cured fish has a brownish color, resembling cured meat, but it is not dry because it has absorbed the spicy fermented brine. It is soft, tender, chewy, aromatic, and spicy, with crisp and refreshing fish that is pleasant to chew. Savoring the taste slowly is an experience that lingers on the palate—you’re reluctant to swallow it right away, yet you’re only given one piece. The host absolutely refuses to offer more, citing an ancestral “rule”: each guest may have only one piece per meal. Should anyone be greedy and take an extra piece, the fish bones will harden and pierce the throat, leaving one “beyond any cure.” Of course, all of this is just playful mystique created by the hosts to keep guests intrigued and leave them with a lasting, unforgettable impression.

　　To uncover the secrets behind this delicious, appetite-whetting “Five-Spice Smoked Fish,” you have to wait until the hosts have had their fill of food and drink before they’ll finally reveal the process: Select carp weighing about one jin (500g), though grass carp or crucian carp also work. There’s no need to scale the fish. Make a cut along the spine to split the fish open while leaving the belly connected, remove the gills and internal organs, then flatten the fish using small bamboo skewers. Marinate it with salt, wine, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, and soy sauce for one day. Then place it on an iron sieve and slowly roast it over low heat to gradually dry out the moisture—cook it through without burning it. Once the entire piece of fish turns golden yellow, it’s ready to be placed in the jar. Before placing the fish in the jar, spread a layer of raw salt at the bottom, then add a layer of shredded ginger, chopped red chili peppers, aged garlic, over 35% proof rice wine, and glutinous rice mixed with sweet wine starter. Next, add a layer of roasted fish pieces, continuing this sequence of alternating layers of seasonings and fish until the jar is nearly full. The top layer should be covered with more than an inch of raw salt, then a cloth, and sealed with a wooden lid. Finally, seal the jar opening tightly with lime paste. The fish can be eaten after two months and will generally stay good for up to a year.

　　No one knows exactly when the “Five-Spice Smoked Fish” originated or whether it was introduced by another ethnic group, but it has been passed down through generations among the Yao and Zhuang families in the mountain villages of Yizhou, becoming a traditional dish with unique ethnic characteristics.