Yellow River Catfish Soup in Tongguan

Yellow River Catfish Soup in Tongguan

　　A scenic attraction centered around the majestic Yellow River—Tongguan Yellow River Scenic Area draws numerous domestic and international tourists with its unique features: the only "First Bend of the Yellow River" along the mother river; the confluence of the Yellow, Wei, and Luo Rivers where yellow and blue waters blend; and the vast inland river island, Yellow River Chicken Heart Island, covered with dense reeds. Especially popular is the Tongguan Yellow River Catfish Soup, a unique dish originating in Tongguan and exclusive to the Tongguan Yellow River Scenic Area, which has captivated visitors, making them linger and return again and again. Renowned figures from home and abroad have penned inscriptions and verses in praise of it. Particularly after a CCTV special feature on the catfish soup aired, the dish gained widespread fame both nationally and internationally. In truth, Yellow River Catfish Soup was "created" by sheer chance.

　　Since ancient times, most people living along the Yellow River in Tongguan made their livelihoods through fishing. Legend has it that in the 1970s, several fishermen, after catching fish, went ashore to rest and cook. Life was still quite harsh for the fishermen back then, so they only picked a few low-value catfish. They dug an earthen stove on the spot, set up a pot, piled in plenty of firewood, and began stewing the catfish. Once everything was ready, the fishermen started playing a local game called "Wolf Eats the Kid" on the ground, completely forgetting about the fish simmering in the pot. When they finally remembered, they found the pot covered with a layer of milky-white broth, and beneath it, the fish had all broken down into tiny bits. To their surprise, upon tasting it, they all exclaimed in unison, “Delicious, delicious…” “I’ve eaten fish all my life, but I’ve never had such a wonderful fish soup!” And so, Tongguan Yellow River Catfish Soup was “created.”

　　Entering the era of reform and opening-up, the clever fishermen of Tongguan’s Yellow River seized this opportunity, continuously refining the recipe and improving the cooking ingredients, eventually developing the unique cooking technique behind this famous dish. They started small businesses along the river selling catfish soup in various forms. In the 1990s, as tourism continued to boom, Tongguan County leveraged the many advantages of the Yellow River to establish the Yellow River Scenic Area. This also helped the catfish soup business grow significantly. With the increasing fame of Tongguan Yellow River Catfish Soup and the breathtaking scenery of the Yellow River Scenic Area, not only did tourists come from nearby cities like Weinan, Xi’an, and Xianyang in Shaanxi Province, but also from neighboring provinces such as Shanxi, Henan, Yuncheng, Sanmenxia, and Luoyang, all drawn to taste this delicacy. Tongguan Yellow River Catfish Soup became a traditional specialty of the Tongguan Yellow River Scenic Area, beloved by travelers from home and abroad.

　　Method for Making Catfish Soup

　　1. Main ingredient: catfish. Seasonings include salad oil, scallions, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.

　　2. Clean a live catfish weighing about 500g by gutting, removing innards, and washing it.

　　3. Heat a pan over a fire, pour in peanut oil, and stir-fry sliced scallions, ginger slices, and salt. Then add 2000g of water and Sichuan peppercorns. Place the catfish in the pot and simmer slowly over low heat to fully infuse the fish’s nutrients into the water.

　　3. When the water boils, add soy sauce, MSG, and sesame oil. Once seasoned, serve in a bowl.

　　Features: Delicious taste and rich nutrition.