Stir-fried Small Fish with Chili

Stir-fried Small Fish with Chili

　　Stir-fried Small Fish with Chili is one of the most widely loved home-cooked dishes in Pizhou. Whenever those from Pizhou who have been living away for years return to their hometown, their families will cook up a deliciously fragrant and colorful plate of Stir-fried Small Fish with Chili to satisfy their taste buds.

　　 As the name implies, the primary ingredients of this dish are chilies and small fish. Green jalapeños are considered the best type of chili, and some chefs may occasionally add some dried red chili strips. This serves a dual purpose—enhancing the spiciness and addressing the issue of overly monotonous colors visually.

　　 The small fish used here are dried fish, which locals in Pizhou commonly refer to as “dry roasted” (pronounced with the fourth tone) fish. These fish are mostly wild, especially those from the Yi River, often caught when they are less than three or four centimeters long. Some are dried in pans or on griddles, while others are sun-dried. According to elders, the pan- or griddle-dried ones offer a better texture.

　　 Stir-fried Small Fish with Chili and Chinese pancakes are truly a perfect match. If a meal consists only of dishes without pancakes, locals in Pizhou will express their disappointment by saying: “How wonderful it would be if there were pancakes!”

　　 In recent years, Stir-fried Small Fish with Chili has gradually made its way from home kitchens to restaurants and hotels. The custom in Pizhou is to drink first and then eat. The meal usually consists of pancakes, and the accompanying dish is quite likely to be Stir-fried Small Fish with Chili. The chili stimulates diners’ appetites, making them eat more—a phrase locals use is that it “goes well with rice.”