Fish Cooked in a Copper Pot

Fish Cooked in a Copper Pot

　　Fish Cooked in a Copper Pot is a home-style dish of fishermen living by the lake. The copper pot is lightweight and conducts heat quickly. Fishermen “catch” fish by the sea, set up a makeshift stove with three stones on the beach or beside fish cave rocks, place the copper pot on the stones, pour in cold seawater or spring

　　water into the pot, add the lively fighting fish, then cover the pot. As the water temperature rises, the fish frequently

　　bump their heads against the lid before finally going quiet. At this point, add scallions, ginger, garlic, roasted dried chili peppers, and mint, and it’s ready to serve. Even more fun is sitting cross-legged by the lakeside, eating while watching the schools of fighting fish swimming in the channels and around the lake—a truly wild and delightful experience. Sadly, such scenes are now rare. In those golden years that made foodies swoon, fighting fish accounted for 80% of the fish catch in Fuxian Lake, with annual yields reaching over one million jin at their peak, selling for just twenty to thirty yuan per kilogram. In the 1970s, just the fishing village of Luchong alone supplied over 100 tons of dried fighting fish to the supply and marketing cooperatives. In recent years, due to a sharp decline in numbers, the price of fighting fish has soared to 1,500 yuan per kilogram, and during peak tourist seasons, it has even fetched an astronomical 5,000 yuan per kilogram due to competition among visitors.

　　Due to the decline in fighting fish and the disappearance of the fishing cave beach, today’s fish cooked in copper pots mostly uses black carp and grass carp, prepared in fishermen’s homes or restaurants, yet still boasts delicious and authentic flavors worthy of the title “a unique delicacy of central Yunnan.” Along the lakeshore, Lichang Fish Farm, Luchong Fishing Village, and Mingxing Fish Cave are the best spots to enjoy live fish cooked in fresh water. On weekends or during major holidays, diners queue up for a table, and every restaurant is bustling. On regular days, you can simply walk into any restaurant, head straight to the backyard to pick your own fish

　　for “custom selection.” When cooking the fish, always use cold water, adding some scallions, ginger, and salt to the pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat,

　　then simmer over low heat. Don’t add MSG until the fish is fully cooked—this ensures the fish and soup are more flavorful. Before digging into the fish, have a bowl of the broth first—it’s pure and sweetly delicious. The most important element in eating copper pot fish is the dipping sauce, made with minced scallions, ginger, garlic, salt, MSG, pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, chili, and Golden Dragon Fish brand oil. It tastes absolutely fantastic.

　　Then simmer over low heat. Only add monosodium glutamate after the fish is fully cooked—this ensures the fish and broth turn out more flavorful. Before eating the fish, have a bowl of the broth first; it’s pure and delightfully sweet. The most important element when enjoying fish cooked in a copper pot is the dipping sauce,

　　which is made by stir-frying minced scallions, ginger, garlic, salt, monosodium glutamate, pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, chili, and Golden Dragon Fish oil. The taste is exceptionally good.