Mailbox Crucian Carp

Mailbox Crucian Carp

　　In 1999, a "Mailbox Crucian Carp" craze swept through the dining markets of Chengdu, Chongqing, and various counties and cities in Sichuan and Chongqing, with a momentum so strong that it caught restaurant owners completely off guard.

　　In Chongqing, the popularity of Mailbox Crucian Carp surpassed earlier favorites like Spring Water Chicken and Rooster in Hot Pot. Along just the Binjiang Road near Chongqi Gate, more than a dozen medium to large Mailbox Crucian Carp restaurants clustered, drawing thousands of diners who flocked in daily, with business lasting until the early hours of the next morning. In Chengdu, many large hot pot restaurants and Chinese eateries also quickly adapted, transforming themselves into Mailbox Crucian Carp establishments. Numerous restaurants on Wenhua Road, Yulin residential area, Dongjiaochang, and elsewhere changed their signs to prominently display the "Mailbox Crucian Carp" name. A typical Mailbox Crucian Carp eatery could sell over 100 kilograms of crucian carp per day, while larger ones sold 200–300 kilograms daily. Even then, supply couldn’t meet demand. Sometimes customers had to wait for a numbered seat. Meanwhile, the signature fish-shaped plates essential for eating Mailbox Crucian Carp sold out across Chengdu’s tableware markets, and the price of live crucian carp continued to rise.

　　In places such as Rongchang, Yongchuan, Tongliang, Bishan, Anyue, Nanchong, and Mianyang, "Mailbox Crucian Carp" signs could be seen everywhere. Even in some out-of-province cities like Jiangsu, Mailbox Crucian Carp restaurants appeared.

　　In the birthplace of Mailbox Crucian Carp—Youting Town, Dazu County—the dish saw even more rapid development. Along the section of Youyou Highway from the Youting Cement Factory to the Public-Railway Bridge, a whole "Mailbox Crucian Carp Street" emerged, with over 20 operating vendors and nearly 100 employees. Many out-of-town diners came specifically to savor the authentic Mailbox Crucian Carp. Tourists visiting Dazu often went to see the Baoding and Beishan cliff carvings, then headed to Mailbox Crucian Carp Street for a feast. On this street, the most famous establishments included "Liu Sanjie’s Crucian Carp," "Yangmen Authentic Crucian Carp," and "Youting Chen’s Crucian Carp." The brand "Youting Chen’s Crucian Carp" had even applied for national trademark registration.

　　Ingredients:

　　1500g live crucian carp, 250g Pixian bean paste, 15g Sichuan peppercorns, 250g salad oil, 20g cooking wine, 100g pickled radish, 2000g fish stock, 50g crushed pickled mustard tuber, 250g pickled red chilies, 50g minced ginger, 25g chili powder, 4g salt, 1g MSG, 500g celery, 100g crushed peanuts, 20g chopped scallions.

　　Preparation Method:

　　1. Clean the crucian carp. Finely chop the pickled red chilies and Pixian bean paste. Wash and cut the celery into sections.

　　2. Heat the salad oil in a wok until it reaches 50% heat. Add the pickled red chilies, Pixian bean paste, chili powder, minced ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry until fragrant and the oil turns red. Then add fresh stock, cooking wine, pickled radish, and MSG, and simmer to develop the flavors.

　　3. Add the crucian carp and celery to the wok. Cook until the fish is done, then transfer the entire pot (without turning on the hot pot burner) to the dining table.

　　4. To serve, use chopsticks to lift a whole crucian carp onto a plate, sprinkle with crushed peanuts, crushed pickled mustard tuber, and chopped scallions, then ladle over a spoonful of the braising broth.

　　5. Once the crucian carp is finished, you can add vegetables or other ingredients to the hot pot broth for further cooking.