In addition to the historical sites, legendary figures, and unique scenery that make a city unforgettable, the taste of food can also become a cultural symbol and the memory of the city, making diners nostalgic. "In March, peach blossoms bloom in the river, and white fish emerge

In addition to the historical sites, legendary figures and unique scenery of a city that are unforgettable, the taste of food will also become a cultural symbol and the memory of the city, leaving diners nostalgic.

"In March, peach blossoms bloom in the river, and white fish come out of the water fertile and fresh." Today we will talk about the Songhua River tribute "white fish" with a history of more than 3,000 years.

In the spring of March in the north, everything revives. The ice in the Songhua River begins to melt, forming a mighty ice row flowing down the river, which is called "opening the river". Taste open river fish , according to records, the emperor of the current dynasty has had this habit since the Liao Dynasty.

White fish is the top-grade fish in rivers. It has a slim body and fair skin. It usually moves in the upper layer of the water and swims very fast. It especially likes to do water sports. It is called the best swimmer among fish by Jilin people, and is also known as the "white stripe in the waves". "One said.

It is recorded in the "Yongji County Chronicle": "The white fish produced in Jilin is the thinnest, so it is also called the fine-scaled white fish and is a tribute. The larger white fish can weigh three to twenty kilograms and is of high value."

During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty , Liu Qing, the Liaodong capital shipbuilder, led his army to build ships on the Songhua River. In order to improve the food for the officers and soldiers, Liu Qing fished out white fish, washed them, steamed them with Songhua River water and tried them. After tasting it, the taste is indeed worthy of its reputation.

After his many painstaking preparations, "Steamed White Fish" became a famous dish in the shipbuilding military camp, and later spread to the dining tables of ordinary people. It has a history of more than 600 years.

The unique taste of Songhua River white fish has left a deep impression on several emperors. In 1682, when Emperor Kangxi inspected the Jilin Navy camp on his eastward inspection tour, Jilin General Bahai ordered his men to catch white fish and hold a banquet to welcome him. The chef used the popular method to cook "steamed white fish".

Emperor Kangxi praised it greatly after tasting it and wrote a poem "The most fish caught in the Songhua River are awarded to the ministers". Since then, "steamed white fish" has become famous throughout the city.

In the fifteenth year of Qianlong's reign (1750), Emperor Qianlong also tasted "steamed white fish" during his eastward tour to Jilin, calling it a delicacy in Guandong. The dignitaries stationed in Jilin immediately listed "steamed white fish" as a delicacy to show their status.

1754, Emperor Qianlong happened to catch up with his birthday when he visited Xiaobai Mountain again. Jilin Wula's "Steamed White Fish" took the opportunity to serve on the "Wanshou Festival" banquet, winning continuous praise from the emperor. Since then, the Songhua River white fish has been listed as a tribute and presented every year, and it has become famous all over the world.

A city must have several kinds of delicacies, which represent the food symbols of the city. So on Jilin’s food business card, Jiangcheng Songhua River White Fish has become the city’s food symbol with its special delicacies and is highly appreciated by international friends.

In fact, it is not difficult to make "steamed white fish", but the ingredients must be half a catty of fresh white fish. After washing, rinse with boiling water and then put in cold water. Then open the belly of the fish with two scallions, add slices of ginger, make the fish stand upright, and place it on the plate.

pour oil to form a fishing net and wrap the white fish in the net. Add chicken broth or a small amount of lard and steam for 20 minutes. After turning off the heat, don't open it immediately. Use the residual heat in the pot to steam for a few minutes before taking it out of the pot. Finally, the original juice of the steamed fish is poured back into the fish plate to maintain the original flavor of the fish.

The white fish from the Songhua River in Jilin has fine flesh and high nutritional value. To this day, Songhua River's "steamed white fish" is still loved by diners. It is not only a traditional famous dish in Jilin's history, but also a series brand of Jilin cuisine.

Produced by Jilin Daily

Planner: Jiang Zhongxiao

Author: Li Xia

Editor: Han Yuhong