Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish

Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish

　　Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish is one of the classic dishes in Beijing cuisine. It primarily uses cilantro as an ingredient, and the cooking technique mainly involves deep-frying in oil. The flavor profile is sweet and sour. Special features: After frying, the fish is scored to create lifted flakes that resemble a squirrel’s shape, making it exceptionally beautiful in appearance. Its color is a glossy, golden brown, with a smooth and shiny finish. The skin is crispy while the flesh is tender, offering a rich, sweet, and tangy taste.

　　Emperor Qianlong visited Yangzhou and toured its famous scenic spots, feeling very pleased. He went incognito into the Songhe Lou restaurant and noticed live yuanbao fish—actually carp—placed on the shrine. He insisted that his attendants take it and prepare it for him to eat. However, in those times, the fish on the shrine was meant for offering to the gods and absolutely could not be eaten. But since Qianlong was the emperor, the restaurant staff had no choice but to discuss how to handle the situation with the chef.

　　The chef noticed that the head of the carp resembled the head of a squirrel, and also thought that the first character of his restaurant’s name was “松” (pine or squirrel), which inspired a sudden idea. He decided to shape the fish like a squirrel to avoid the sin of killing a sacred fish. Once the dish was prepared, it was served to Emperor Qianlong. After tasting it carefully, he found it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a delicious sweet and sour flavor. He praised it highly and generously rewarded the chef.

　　Since then, the story of Emperor Qianlong eating fish at Songhe Lou spread among the Suzhou officials, and the Squirrel-Shaped Fish became famous worldwide. Because the fish’s shape resembles a squirrel, it was named Squirrel Fish. On every festival and birthday, Emperor Qianlong would request this dish. Later, chefs began using mandarin fish instead, and thus it also became known as Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish.