Chapter 307: Where's the Fish?
Although Tang Zi and Zhou Long felt a tiny bit of disappointment for not triggering the special effect of Wensi Tofu on the first try, that feeling was quickly drowned out by the joy of eating.
For food lovers, happiness is simple and pure—good food is all it takes.
The lingering taste of Wensi Tofu was elegant and refined, but for Tang Zi and Zhou Long, it was far from enough.
Even though they had taken small, careful bites to savor it, the soup bowl filled with Wensi Tofu was soon emptied.
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long. As soon as they finished, the rest of their dishes were promptly served.
"Hiss—"
Tang Zi's eyes were immediately drawn to the vibrantly colored Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish in front of Zhou Long. The dish looked like a blooming flower, its golden, crispy exterior glistening with sauce.
"Uh… Old Zhou, can I have a taste of that Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish?"
Although the menu's picture had already looked appetizing, seeing the dish in person and smelling its rich, fragrant aroma made it even more irresistible.
"Not a chance! If you want some, order your own!"
Zhou Long's face darkened as he instinctively pulled the plate closer to himself, remembering the traumatic experience of having food stolen by the Hall Master of Power Hall.
Like master, like disciple—these two were practically identical!
Seeing Zhou Long's vigilance, Tang Zi reluctantly looked away and focused on the dish in front of him.
Soon, his gaze was drawn to the Fish-flavored Shredded Pork on his plate.
Having just eaten Wensi Tofu, the fine strands of shredded pork in the dish immediately caught his attention.
Unlike the ultra-thin tofu strands, the pork shreds were about three millimeters thick. Each piece was coated in a thin layer of glossy sauce, perfectly separated with no clumping—an incredibly enticing sight.
The pork was sprinkled with finely chopped, slightly golden chili bits. The fermented Sichuan pickled chili wasn't overly bright in color, but its deep, rich red blended perfectly with the sauce, making it look even more tempting.
There weren't many extra ingredients in the dish—aside from some chopped scallions, the shredded pork was the undisputed star.
Just looking at those slightly lifted, firm yet tender strands made Tang Zi eager to dig in.
So this is Fish-flavored Shredded Pork?
Tang Zi's eyes widened as he quickly picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a portion, and put it into his mouth.
The first sensation that hit him was a perfect balance of sweet and sour.
The white sugar in the sauce gave the dish a subtle sweetness, while the slight sourness came from the lactic acid in the Sichuan pickled chili.
Sichuan pickled chili, also known as Haijiao, is made using traditional lactic acid fermentation. The chili of choice is Er Jing Tiao, a variety that is not particularly spicy but has a thicker, more flavorful flesh. After fermenting for over two weeks, it develops a tangy, mildly spicy taste with a rich depth of flavor.
It's worth noting that in Sichuan cuisine, the key to the "Fish-flavored" flavor profile is the lactic acid from pickled chili. Replacing it with fresh chilies or omitting chili altogether would completely destroy the authentic Fish-flavored taste.
As Tang Zi chewed, the juicy tenderness of the pork mixed with the salty, spicy, sweet, and sour flavors of the sauce, creating an explosion of taste in his mouth.
But…
Where's the fish?
The look of enjoyment on Tang Zi's face slowly turned into confusion.
This dish was called Fish-flavored Shredded Pork, but why was there no fish flavor at all?
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Fish-flavored Shredded Pork has always been a somewhat controversial dish.
Thanks to its unique sweet and sour flavor, it spread from Sichuan to the rest of China, becoming a staple home-cooked dish. However, because its name contains the word fish but the dish itself contains no fish, it has often been lumped together with dishes like Husband and Wife Lung Slices and Wife Cake as a humorous food paradox.
Fish-flavored Shredded Pork has no fish, Husband and Wife Lung Slices contain no husband or wife, and Wife Cake has no wife.
There are two major points of debate surrounding Fish-flavored Shredded Pork (Fish-flavored Shredded Pork):
What ingredients should be included?
Does it actually contain fish?
In modern versions of this dish, a variety of ingredients are added—wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, celery, shredded carrots, lettuce, and more. It seems that in different regions, the additional ingredients vary significantly.
This has led to the common misconception that you can add whatever you want to Fish-flavored Shredded Pork.
For home-cooked versions, it might not matter, but in its most authentic form, this dish does not include all those extra ingredients.
Adding too many flavors disrupts the balance of the "Fish-flavored" taste, altering the dish's original profile. Traditionally, the only additional ingredient besides pork is scallions.
A strong piece of evidence for this is that before the national chef certification exam was reformed, Fish-flavored Shredded Pork was a mandatory dish for Level 3 chef certification, and adding any extra ingredients would result in automatic failure.
If the first controversy is already confusing enough, the second question—whether Fish-flavored Shredded Pork actually contains fish—has sparked even more debate.
Despite being a staple of Sichuan cuisine, the "Fish-flavored" flavor profile is not ancient.
Historical records show that before the 19th century, there was no such thing as "Fish-flavored" in cooking. It wasn't until the early 20th century that this flavor profile became widely recognized.
This means that Fish-flavored Shredded Pork, a dish now found all over China, is only about 100 years old.
And since its inception, people have been arguing about whether or not it contains fish.
Sichuan writer Che Fu once wrote in his book Sichuan Cuisine Anecdotes:
"Er Jing Tiao chilies, when fermented together with crucian carp in a pickling jar, remain fresh for a long time, develop a crisp texture, and carry a salty, tangy, slightly sweet aftertaste. Fish-scented pickled chilies are an essential ingredient for authentic 'Fish-flavored' dishes. Even in roadside stalls and tiny eateries, one can find dishes with this rich 'Fish-flavored'."
According to this theory, the traditional way of making "Fish-flavored" flavor required fermenting crucian carp with pickled chilies. The chilies were then used to season the dish, and the name "Fish-flavored" came from the presence of the fish.
However, historical records and practical experience suggest that pickling chilies with fish was rare. In most cases, Fish-flavored Shredded Pork has never involved fish-fermented chilies.
While fermenting crucian carp with chilies does enhance umami, it requires precise environmental control and is troublesome to prepare. Moreover, the actual difference in flavor is minimal, making it unrealistic to rely solely on this step to create a strong fish-like taste. As a result, this method was largely abandoned over time.
In modern Sichuan cuisine manuals, the standard preparation of Fish-flavored Shredded Pork does not involve any fish-infused ingredients—just regular pickled chilies.
Then where does the "Fish-flavored" name come from?
To understand this, we need to look at the origins of the dish itself.
The name Fish-flavored Shredded Pork comes from the fact that it was originally cooked using the same seasoning techniques used for Sichuan-style fish dishes.
Since this cooking method produced pork with a flavor similar to Sichuan-style fish, the dish was named Fish-flavored Shredded Pork.
But… does it really taste like fish?
When you cook different meats using the same seasonings and techniques, it's natural for them to develop a similar taste. But that flavor comes from the seasonings, not from the actual presence of fish.
The unique balance of savory, slightly spicy, mildly sweet, and pleasantly sour flavors made the dish incredibly appealing, allowing it to spread and evolve into the version we know today.
So even if you visit the most authentic Sichuan restaurant and eat the most traditional Fish-flavored Shredded Pork, you will still find yourself asking the ultimate question:
Where's the fish?
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