Tianmu Lake Clay Pot Fish Head

Tianmu Lake Clay Pot Fish Head

　　Tianmu Lake Freshwater Seafood Series Tianmu Lake boasts an exceptionally rich supply of natural bait, making it home to a variety of freshwater fish such as bighead carp (commonly known as “fathead” or “paddlefish”). Among them, the renowned Chinese dish “Clay Pot Fish Head” enjoys widespread fame. This delicacy is meticulously prepared using water from Tianmu Lake and large bighead carp, resulting in a milky-white broth, snow-white fish meat tinged with pink, and a texture as tender as tofu pudding—completely free of earthy taste, rich yet not greasy, and absolutely exquisite. It has received praise from numerous national leaders and foreign diplomats. A local folk ditty goes: “When kids drink the fish head soup, their minds grow sharp; when ladies drink the fish head soup, their skin turns fair and bright; when gentlemen drink the fish head soup, their thoughts grow broad and wide.” This rhyme alone reveals how much the locals adore this clay pot fish head soup.

　　“Tianmu Lake Clay Pot Fish Head” was first created at the Tianmu Lake Hotel in Liyang City, Jiangsu Province. After nearly thirty years of dedicated preparation and continuous refinement by Zhu Shuncai, a top-grade chef in Jiangsu Province, it has earned high praise from food enthusiasts for its exceptional quality—“fresh without fishiness, rich without greasiness.” Now recognized as a famous and traditional Jiangsu dish, it has become a beloved culinary gem across the country.

　　Zhu Shuncai once specially prepared the clay pot fish head for national leaders including Wan Li, attracting 75 ambassadors and their spouses, as well as cultural celebrities such as Liu Xiaoqing, Li Guyi, Xing Zhibin, Su Tong, and Gao Xiaosheng.

　　To prepare Tianmu Lake Clay Pot Fish Head, one must use large bighead carp naturally raised in Tianmu Lake as the main ingredient, and the broth must be based on the lake’s pure, natural water. The picturesque Tianmu Lake benefits from surrounding green vegetation that filters the lake water, and its sandy lakebed—rather than muddy—creates a unique natural environment. This ensures the lake water remains crystal clear, sweet, and pristine, free of any impurities, so the fish grown here are completely free of earthy taste.