Crucian Carp and Tofu Hot Pot from the Wu River

Crucian Carp and Tofu Hot Pot from the Wu River

　　On the drive from Guiyang to Zunyi, we had dinner in a small town by the Wu River. The Crucian Carp and Tofu Hot Pot from the Wu River is a local specialty. The host selected a live three-to-four-pound crucian carp, which was cleaned on the spot. The server brought out a liquefied gas stove and placed the sliced fish along with tofu and other seasonings into a small aluminum basin to start heating. What surprised me was why the cooking vessel wasn’t an earthenware pot or copper pot, but an aluminum washbasin? Probably because earthenware pots aren’t produced locally, so they made do with what was available. Even with less chili added, it was still so spicy that my nose ran and I kept gasping with my mouth open. But the flavor was truly delicious—it whet our appetites, and some in our group ate four small bowls of rice. I, too, ended up eating more than double my usual amount. The atmosphere, the scene, and the taste are still vivid in my memory to this day.