Weixin Sour Fish

Weixin Sour Fish

　　The uniquely flavorful and authentic Weixin sour fish is only produced in the villages of Yudong, Baishui, Qinglong, and Luobo along the Luobo River in Weixin County. Water is the spirit that nurtures all things. The secluded Luobo River meanders through the hills at the border of Yunnan and Guizhou. The saying "clear water breeds no fish" finds no ground here—wherever the clear, green waters flow, playful and carefree crucian carp swim about, silently defying the notion. The fish are not large, with most suitable for catching and processing weighing between 1–2 kilograms.

　　Fresh, lively fish are caught with nets or bamboo cages, then kept in wooden buckets or basins to serve as the basic ingredients for making sour fish.

　　The history of processing and cooking sour fish stretches far back into obscurity. A Zhang family in Yudong Village, Gaotian Township, is said to hold the "patent" for this technique. But over a hundred other households equally skilled in the process do not acknowledge the Zhangs’ claim to invention. Each of these families can confidently recount how their great-grandparents—or even their great-great-grandparents—processed and cooked sour fish, all in an effort to prove they were the earliest and best. In truth, after tasting the offerings from the Zhang family and others, one is left with the same unforgettable impression: the mere memory stirs cravings, drawing one in with longing, and even the briefest separation feels unbearable.　

　　Sour fish must first be processed and preserved. Though the curing process is complex, it demands meticulous execution.　

　　The first step is to take the freshly caught live fish—kept in wooden containers—and first wash them, then descale them, cut open their abdomens, and remove the gills, guts, swim bladder, tendons, lungs, etc., placing them in a basin for later use. The fish’s complete form must not be damaged, and once the abdomen is cut open, it must not come into contact with raw water again, or the whole process will fail.　

　　The second step is salting. Using one liang (50 grams) of salt per kilogram of fish, evenly spread the salt on the fish, rub it in thoroughly, then lay the salted fish out to dry in a cool, ventilated place for 12–24 hours.　

　　The third step is making the pickling mash. Select sweet, well-ripened corn, grind it fine, sift it, then mix in appropriate amounts of powdered Sichuan pepper, black pepper, tsao-ko, mountain pepper, star anise, and other spices to create a uniform mixture known as the “mash.”　

　　The fourth step follows a ratio of 2–2.5 kilograms of pickling mash per kilogram of fish meat: the mash is stuffed into the fish cavities, the fish are then closed up, and laid out one by one in parallel inside earthenware jars with rims. After each layer of fish, a layer of mash is sprinkled on top. Finally, the jar opening is tightly sealed with straw, water is poured into the jar rim, and a lid is added. The water in the jar rim should be changed regularly. Every 70–80 days, the jar cover should be opened for inspection. If the corn mash appears too damp, it should be replaced following the original packing procedure and resealed. After 2–3 years of curing, the overall form of the fish remains intact, the flesh retains its elasticity, and yet all the bones have completely “dissolved”—making it safe and enjoyable for people of all ages to eat without worry.　

　　When cooking, first cut the cured fish into chunks, fry them in vegetable oil until light yellow, then set aside. In a steaming tray, line the bottom with brown sugar and white sugar, place the fish chunks on top, then spread roasted pickling mash over the fish, and steam for 2–3 hours. Remove, pour on a sauce tailored to taste, and steam for another 2–3 hours. The resulting dish is delicious, tender and crispy, with a perfect balance of sour, sweet, numbing, spicy, and salty flavors. The sauce can be adapted to suit different palates while preserving the dish’s essential character, offering a great deal of flexibility in customization.　

　　Cured sour fish can be stored for a long time and transported over long distances. From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, merchants from Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan who traveled to Weixin to buy sour fish and sell it in cities like Kunming, Chengdu, and Chongqing ran a highly profitable trade.