Dong Preserved Fish

Dong Preserved Fish

　　Preserved fish is an essential specialty in Dong households, typically made between Cold Dew and Frost's Descent. The process involves catching the fish and placing them in a fish cage or grain basket submerged in clean water. Crushed bitter herbs are added to cleanse the gills and intestines of impurities. The fish are then gutted and cleaned. A suitable amount of rice wine is used to marinate the fish in a basin, and salt is sprinkled inside their bellies. After soaking for two nights, steamed and cooled glutinous rice along with the fish-soaked brine is mixed with chili powder, a suitable amount of Sichuan pepper, ginger, and other seasonings to make a fish paste. When preserving the fish, a layer of this paste is first placed at the bottom of a wooden barrel. The paste is then stuffed inside the fish bellies and also spread over their skin and scales before placing them in the barrel. Each layer of fish is alternated with a layer of paste. This process is repeated until all the fish are layered. Once the fish are all packed, the barrel is covered with a “fish blanket” made of ginger stalks, bamboo shoot husk leaves, palm bark, or palm leaves. On top of this blanket, three round wooden lids are placed and weighted down with a round stone or cobblestone. When juice begins to seep from the cracks around the stones, the fish inside the barrel are ready to eat.