Taijiang Pickled Fish

Taijiang Pickled Fish

　　Taijiang pickled fish is a specialty of Taijiang County in Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou Province. The bones in the fish become soft and tender, while the flesh offers a delightful mix of sweet, spicy, and salty flavors, making it uniquely delicious.

　　Taijiang pickled fish is a traditional dish served to guests by the Miao people. It boasts vibrant colors and rich flavors, delivering a refreshing and satisfying taste. The Miao people commonly raise carp in their rice paddies. When catching fresh fish, they clean them, gut them, then sprinkle an appropriate amount of salt and chili powder on them, mixing in spices such as prickly ash powder before curing. The fish are then dried over smoke until semi-dry, coated with sweet wine, or covered with glutinous rice flour. They are stacked layer upon layer—fish, sweet wine lees, fish, sweet wine lees—and stored in a jar, which is sealed tightly. After about half a month, the fish can be taken out and either pan-fried or eaten raw. Pickled fish that has been cured for over a year will have softened bones and a rich flavor blending sweet, spicy, and salty notes, offering a truly distinctive taste.