Baoying Angli Fish

Baoying Angli Fish

　　The Angli fish is the most delicious of all fish. Not to mention how flavorful it is, its smooth, tender texture is unmatched by even the most prized varieties. There’s something unique about the Angli fish — it can make a sound. When you pinch the hard spine on its back, it will emit a “ang li, ang li” cry. Is it crying in pain or just doesn’t like being touched? How amusing. The way you prepare an Angli fish is also unique: hold it by the belly with one hand and yank its head backward with the other to remove the internal organs from the jaw area, then rinse it clean. Add plenty of scallions and shredded ginger, and simmer up a pot of delicious fish soup. You’ll end up drinking bowl after bowl — that flavor is simply indescribable. The esteemed Mr. Wang Zengqi was also fond of this delicacy from the water towns. Even while living in Beijing, he longed for this dish from his hometown. He referred to it as “ang chi yu” — “ang chi” and “ang li” are quite similar, and the dialects of the lower reaches of the Huai River didn’t even have retroflex consonants anyway. Besides, this fish is named after the sound it makes. Let’s stick with calling it the Angli fish here — it’s both vivid and onomatopoeic.　

　　　　The Angli fish goes by many names. People in Shanghai call it “ang niu”; in Suzhou, it’s known as “wang ding tou”; in the northeast, it’s called “ga ya zi”; while in Nanjing, Yangzhou, and Ningbo, it’s referred to as the Angli fish. Each of these names refers either to the fish’s color, the sharp, needle-like tips of its pectoral and dorsal fins, or the “ga ga” sounds they make when swimming in schools. Meanwhile, people in Sichuan call it “huang la ding,” a name that truly captures the fish’s color, shape, and sound. The succinctness of Sichuanese is truly remarkable. But the most creative name comes from Hunan, where it’s called “huang ya jiao.” In Liuyang, locals refer to it as "huang ya gu."

　　　　Braised Angli heads are incredibly fragrant. The two fleshy cheek pieces near the gills may be no bigger than a fingernail, but they melt in your mouth. Angli heads also taste great when cooked with tofu. Just add plenty of scallions and shredded ginger, and you can simmer up a pot of delicious Angli head and tofu soup. The soup turns as white as milk — that flavor is simply indescribable. If you must put it into words, it’s richly savory without being greasy, and the fish is as tender as the tofu it’s cooked with. With so few bones, you can eat it to your heart’s content. The esteemed Mr. Wang Zengqi was also a fan of the Angli head’s delectable taste. Even after living away from home in Beijing for so many years, he still missed this bearded river fish from his hometown. There can’t have been many foods that could truly captivate Mr. Wang, which just goes to show how delicious the Angli head is.