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Light and delicious, this fish chowder
from old Hangzhou is a classic recipe from Zhejiang, a/k/a heaven on earth. This is one of those
dishes that looks terribly complicated, but actually is quite easy to put
together.
First and foremost, you must have a good freshwater fish to act as the backbone, as the fresh sweetness of its flesh will act as a sparkling counterpoint to the other ingredients.
Crunchy bamboo shoots provide just the right textural component, while chewy mushrooms and ham hover with their own deep flavors in every mouthful.
The beauty of this chowder is breathtaking when done correctly. Everything except for the fish must be cut into thin shreds so that they swirl and twist harmoniously around each other, the beige of the bamboo, red of the ham, and black of the mushrooms providing delight to the eye before their scent has even reached your nose. Tender egg-white flowers dance among these shreds, their brilliant white playing hide-and-seek with the fish flakes.
First and foremost, you must have a good freshwater fish to act as the backbone, as the fresh sweetness of its flesh will act as a sparkling counterpoint to the other ingredients.
Crunchy bamboo shoots provide just the right textural component, while chewy mushrooms and ham hover with their own deep flavors in every mouthful.
The beauty of this chowder is breathtaking when done correctly. Everything except for the fish must be cut into thin shreds so that they swirl and twist harmoniously around each other, the beige of the bamboo, red of the ham, and black of the mushrooms providing delight to the eye before their scent has even reached your nose. Tender egg-white flowers dance among these shreds, their brilliant white playing hide-and-seek with the fish flakes.
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| Spring bamboo shoot |
As you take your first bite, you may be
reminded of North China’s hot and sour soup, since this too has a good wallop
of vinegar and black pepper.
But then again, this is from Zhejiang, so it has a
quieter voice, the vinegar backpedaled a bit and there along with the fresh
ginger only to spark the aromas of the fish and refresh the palate between each
spoonful.
Mention of this chowder is made as early
as 800 years ago in the Song dynasty book Mèngliánglù
夢梁錄 by Wú Zìmù 吳自牧, so this is definitely something that has
pleased generations of diners in one of the most heavenly places to eat in the
world.
Sister-in-law Song’s fish chowder
Sòngsǎo yúgēng 宋嫂魚羹
Sister-in-law Song’s fish chowder
Sòngsǎo yúgēng 宋嫂魚羹
Zhejiang
Serves 4
Serves 4
12 ounces firm, white, freshwater fish (bass, carp, tilapia, etc.)
1 tablespoon ginger juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
5 large fresh or plumped-up dried black mushrooms
5 large fresh or plumped-up dried black mushrooms
A little over 1-inch square of Chinese-style ham
½ fresh or frozen and defrosted bamboo shoot
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| Mushrooms, ham, & shoots |
1 tablespoon fresh peanut or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh ginger
3 cups boiling chicken stock, or 3 cups boiling water plus 2
teaspoons fish sauce
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon cornstarch or water chestnut flour mixed with 3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon black vinegar, or to taste
Chopped cilantro as garnish
1. Rinse the fish, pat it dry, and remove
any skin or bones. (If there are tiny bones in there, they will be easily
removed once the fish has been steamed.) Place the fish in a single layer on a
heatproof, rimmed dish, sprinkle it with the ginger juice and salt, and steam
the fish for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it flakes easily. Discard the juices
and let the fish cool down while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms.
Cut the caps horizontally into 3 layers (or 2 if the caps are thin), and then
cut these layers into shreds the size of matchsticks. Trim any skin or tendons
off of the ham and cut it against the grain into thin slices and then crosswise
into matchsticks. Do the same with the bamboo shoots. You should end up with
somewhere in the area of ¼ cup each of the julienned ham and bamboo shoots.
(Keep the ham separate from the mushrooms and bamboo shoot.)
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| Frothy egg flowers |
3. Place a medium-sized sandpot on a
burner and turn the heat to medium-high heat, being careful not to overheat the
sandpot and thus break it. While the sandpot is heating up, place the oil and
ginger in there so that you know how hot the sandpot is getting while the
ginger slowly releases its fragrance. When it is starting to fry happily, add
the mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Stir
these around in the hot oil, and when they start to go limp, pour in the hot
stock. Bring the stock to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat to
medium; let the stock and the vegetables get to know each other for a couple of
minutes and then add the ham.
4. After about a minute, remove the
sandpot from the heat. Lightly beat the egg whites again and then pour them
through a sieve in a fine thread all over the soup. Do not mix the chowder at
this point, but give the whites a chance to form delicate flowers all over the
surface.
5. Return the sandpot to the heat and
bring the soup to a boil before lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the vinegar
and the cornstarch mixture, stir the chowder gently until it thickens, and then add the fish before garnishing the chowder with the cilantro. Serve immediately.
