Watching the Xijiang River reveals the world's Miao villages, and eating sour fish tastes the best in the world. In the Qianhu Miao Village of Xijiang, there has always been a saying that "if you don't eat sour for three days, you will walk around" (describing unstable walking and swaying). Sour soup is the most famous delicacy, especially sour soup fish.
What is the reason why countless "foodies" think of sour soup fish when they mention Xijiang?
The prevalence of sour soup culture
In Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village, the sour soup culture has a long history. Due to its location in the hinterland of Guizhou, the transportation of Xijiang is very inconvenient, which limits its communication with the outside world and seriously affects the sale and exchange of goods, resulting in a shortage of various daily necessities.
So Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village has always been in a state of salt shortage, and people have had to find ways to overcome and create other methods to replace it. Over time, there has been a method of "replacing salt with acid" in Miao villages for food seasoning. Replacing salt taste with sour taste, the prevalence of sour soup culture not only solves the problem of salt shortage, but also enriches their diet.
The special geographical environment has developed the habit of "no sourness, no joy" among the Miao people in Xijiang. Therefore, it can be said that Xijiang is using sour soup to "replace salt" for itself.
C-position in Sour Soup Diet - Sour Soup Fish
When it comes to the sour soup diet in Xijiang, we have to mention the sour soup fish. In the Qianhu Miao Village of Xijiang, sour soup fish is a very popular delicacy, and can even be said to be the "absolute C-share" in Miao cuisine, making it unforgettable to eat.
It is understood that the sour soup used by Miao ethnic fish is brewed from mountain spring water and self grown fragrant glutinous rice. It can smell sour and delicious, and the fish meat is made from fresh live fish, which is very delicate and tender. So after making sour soup fish, it tastes slightly sour and incredibly fresh and refreshing.
1. The nutritional value of sour soup fish
If sour soup fish uses different ingredients, it will have different nutritional value. The tomatoes added to common sour soups are rich in lycopene, which can strengthen the spleen and stimulate appetite
In addition, sour soup catfish is rich in nutrients, not only has tender meat, but also is rich in protein and fat.
Sour soup carp has a delicious taste, high in protein, and its meat contains fatty acids, which can effectively lower cholesterol.
2. The Historical Legend of Sour Soup Fish
Legend has it that a long time ago, there lived a girl named Ana at the foot of Miaoling Mountain. She was not only beautiful and could sing and dance well, but also make good wine. One day, Ago Bao Xin, who lived on the other side, happened to pass by the foot of the mountain while selling his fishing gear. When he saw Ana fishing by the river, he used his fishing gear to help her catch several fish.
At this moment, it suddenly rained heavily, and Ana took Baoxin to her home to take shelter from the rain. She happened to encounter her mother cooking, and Baoxin gave the fish she had caught to Ana's mother. So, Ana's mother made an ancestral sour soup fish with spring water wine and sour soup. After tasting Baoxin, she immediately felt very delicious and began to learn from Ana. From then on, the technique of making sour soup fish began to spread throughout the Miao region, and later formed unique sour soup fish.
So, how is sour soup fish made?
The main ingredients for making sour soup fish include sour soup, fish meat, and onions and garlic. Most of the fish are made from locally produced rice carp, catfish, or carp. The best sour soup is made by using rice soup as a fermented base, paired with various seasonings such as ginger seeds, pickled tomato sauce, and chili sauce.
According to the different raw materials, sour soup fish also has different methods, which are famous for their freshness, tenderness, fragrance, and beauty. A simple soup pot is filled with a crimson sour soup, and the fresh and tender fish meat rolls in the boiling soup. The sour and refreshing taste instantly hits the surface. When the fish is brought to the table in a pot, the taste becomes sour and tingling. Pick up the delicate fish meat with chopsticks, and you can feel the rich and delicious soup even before you reach your mouth.
Is there any particular way to eat fish in sour soup? Yes! Generally, before eating fish, one should first drink a few mouthfuls of sour soup to moisten the throat. When eating fish, they should be dipped in chili water mixed with salt, chili peppers, Chinese prickly peppers, ginger flowers, fragrant garlic, scallions, etc., or stir these seasonings with the fish. This way, the fish can be sour and spicy, making it extremely delicious.
Source: Aerial View of Guizhou
Source of this article: China Food News