Shidi Tofu Fish

Shidi Tofu Fish

　　Its brilliance is akin to the "Twenty-Four Bridges under the Moonlight" dish cooked by Huang Rong in *The Legend of the Condor Heroes*. The fish is tender, fragrant, and smooth, while the tofu is snow-white and soft. The fish used is around 5 jin of locally farmed catfish, nearly bursting with fat, sliced into palm-sized pieces. A huge iron pot, resembling a vat, is heated until it glows red-hot like a forge. Seasonings are added, along with locally made pickled vegetable tofu. The flavors blend perfectly—the fish absorbs the taste of the tofu, and the tofu takes on the flavor of the fish—two seemingly incompatible tastes harmonize seamlessly, resulting in a particularly clean and satisfying dish.