Claypot Yellow Catfish (特味三角峰)
Dinner @ '大蓉和' (www.daronghe.cn/), a modern Sichuanese restaurant chain with colleagues.
"三角峰" is the local Sichuan name given to "嘎鱼" or "黄颡鱼" {Pelteobagrus fulvidraco}. It is also known as the Yellow Catfish and is found in the rivers and lakes of landlocked Sichuan.
Consuming 'seafood' of any sort in Sichuan is a strange affair. The locals do like 'seafood'; but they do not want to smell 'seafood'. As such, almost every 'seafood' dish is smothered by spices so much so, you may not even know it is 'seafood' until you have taken a bite.
Here, the restaurant had chosen to cook the catfish with celery, black woodear fungus and lots of fiery green chillies in a claypot with Udon style potato flour noodles. A spoonful of the broth and it's like drinking liquid lava. The heat of the chilli had seeped into the broth, rendering it fiery. As earlier mentioned, one could hardly smell the fish, with the chillies and celery dominating the aroma. It is said that this method of cooking allows for the earthiness of the fish to be suppressed but honestly, a few morsels and I could still taste the 'muddiness' that one gets with river and lake fishes. The plus point? The flesh is extremely tender and succulently sweet.
I know there are a lot of local supporters of this dish but I regret to say that it is not for myself.
Claypot Yellow Catfish (特味三角峰)
Dinner @ '大蓉和' (www.daronghe.cn/), a modern Sichuanese restaurant chain with colleagues.
"三角峰" is the local Sichuan name given to "嘎鱼" or "黄颡鱼" {Pelteobagrus fulvidraco}. It is also known as the Yellow Catfish and is found in the rivers and lakes of landlocked Sichuan.
Consuming 'seafood' of any sort in Sichuan is a strange affair. The locals do like 'seafood'; but they do not want to smell 'seafood'. As such, almost every 'seafood' dish is smothered by spices so much so, you may not even know it is 'seafood' until you have taken a bite.
Here, the restaurant had chosen to cook the catfish with celery, black woodear fungus and lots of fiery green chillies in a claypot with Udon style potato flour noodles. A spoonful of the broth and it's like drinking liquid lava. The heat of the chilli had seeped into the broth, rendering it fiery. As earlier mentioned, one could hardly smell the fish, with the chillies and celery dominating the aroma. It is said that this method of cooking allows for the earthiness of the fish to be suppressed but honestly, a few morsels and I could still taste the 'muddiness' that one gets with river and lake fishes. The plus point? The flesh is extremely tender and succulently sweet.
I know there are a lot of local supporters of this dish but I regret to say that it is not for myself.