Shuicheng Sour Soup Fish

Shuicheng Sour Soup Fish

　　The wildly popular sour soup fish originates from the Miao villages of southeastern Guizhou. The ancestors of the Miao people once lived around Dongting Lake, and even after migrating westward, they settled in areas surrounded by mountains and water. Fish is not only a staple food for the Miao people in southeastern Guizhou but also a common theme in folk embroidery and one of their totems. The Miao are also a people who love sour flavors, with every household preparing their own version of sour soup. There are two types of sour soup: one is fermented using rice washing water, and the other is made from the juice of wild tomatoes. Restaurants serving sour soup fish often also offer dishes like sour soup pork intestines, sour soup lamb, and sour soup pig’s trotters, forming a "sour soup series." The broth of sour soup fish is tangy with a spicy kick and incredibly delicious—most people drink at least two bowls of the soup before eating the fish. (Liupanshui)