Pufferfish

Pufferfish

　　　　In the Yangtze River estuary area of Changshu, besides being abundant in delicious seafood such as shad, yellow croaker, and hairtail, you can also catch a type of pufferfish that is shaped like a cylinder with small eyes and a plump body. Although this seafood is incredibly delicious—so much so that there’s an old saying “Once you’ve eaten pufferfish, nothing else tastes good”—you must be extremely cautious when eating it and never careless. The fish’s belly contains deadly toxins, and its spine blood, fins, tail, liver, and other parts all harbor poisonous juices. There’s a common saying, “eating pufferfish is a gamble with death.” Therefore, before consumption, it must be cleaned by an experienced chef who removes and washes out the internal organs. Then it is cooked in oil, simmered with seasonings repeatedly until the meat is tender and the skin is crispy before it can be eaten. To prevent poisoning, it’s best to prepare a pot of “reed root soup” before eating, which can serve as an antidote. In short, consuming this fish requires extra caution to strictly avoid any poisoning incidents.

(Changshu)