唯有牡丹真国色，花开时节动京城。Peony Fish Slices, a dish full of poetic and aesthetic beauty. Its name is like a beautiful story, evoking infinite imagination and anticipation. When you take the first bite, the delicious flavor and delicate texture transport you to a wonderful world. Beyond the taste and enjoyment, Peony Fish Slices also carry rich cultural connotations. It is not just a culinary delight but a cultural heritage. In traditional Chinese culture, peonies symbolize wealth and magnificence, while fish represents abundance and harvest. By combining these two elements perfectly, it not only expresses the pursuit of gastronomy but also embodies a love and expectation for life.
Ingredients for Peony Fish Slices
| Grass carp | one |
| Green onion | 6g |
| Ginger | 5g |
| Shaoxing wine | 5g |
| Salt | 4g |
| Sugar | 3g |
| Pepper powder | 2g |
| Starch | 3g |
| Honey | 3g |
| Glutinous rice flour | 4g |
| Ketchup | 5g |
Steps:
1.Peony Fish Slices, a representative of spicy Sichuan cuisine that was almost lost. First, choose grass carp for this dish. It has a slim body, fewer bones, and tender meat, making it perfect for making “petals.” Remove the bones and skin from the fish and slice it to a thickness of about three millimeters, allowing it to shine. Clean the fish slices thoroughly in a bowl.
2.Then, place spring onions, ginger, Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, and a small amount of pepper powder on the cleaned fish. Dip both sides of the marinated fish slices in starch and gently tap them with a rod until they become fan-shaped, giving them a delicate trim. Trim all the fish slices in this way, making them more aesthetically pleasing.
3.Place the fish slices in a hot wok, and you will instantly hear the sizzling sound. The oil splatters, and each fish slice dances passionately. Two minutes of frying is a test for each fish slice. They roll and jump in the wok as if performing a grand show. Each flip makes the fish slices turn more golden and enticing. When each fish slice has completed this performance, they are gently taken out and placed on a plate.
4.Next, make the “flower core” of the peony. Mix sugar, honey, and glutinous rice flour together and stir until it forms a soft sweet potato paste. At this point, you can add some seasonings to enhance the flavor of the sweet potato paste.
5.Arrange the fried fish slices in order of size and shape. Each fish slice resembles a petal, and the central part of the fish slice can serve as the flower core. Evenly apply the sweet potato paste to the center of the fish slice, perfectly combining the fish slice with the sweet potato paste. When each “peony” is completed, arrange them on a plate. At this point, you can see vivid peony flowers blooming in the plate, just like a beautiful painting. The delicate fragrance of the peony flowers and the delicious taste of the fish slices create an intoxicating experience.
6.Before making the sauce, mix sugar, salt, water, and water starch in a certain proportion and stir well. The purpose of this is to create a thick sauce that can tightly coat each fish slice, enhancing the texture. Then, you can add some ketchup for seasoning. The sweet and sour taste of the tomato sauce perfectly complements the delicious taste of the fish slices, making it irresistible. When the sauce is ready, pour it over the peony flowers arranged on the plate. At this point, the sauce is like a gorgeous robe, adding more color and texture to each peony flower. Finally, place the prepared flower core in the middle of each peony flower that has been coated with the sauce. The addition of the flower core makes this dish more lively and interesting. It is like the soul of the peony flower, adding more poetic and aesthetic beauty to the entire dish.
Tips
1.Try to slice the fish thinly so that it can absorb the flavors better.
2.Don’t marinate the fish slices for too long, or they might become too salty and the texture will suffer.
3.When preparing the sauce, you can add some water starch to make it thicker and improve the texture.
When tasting the peony fish slices, you can experience a delicate and elegant lifestyle. Each piece of fish is like a exquisite work of art, making it hard to swallow. The faint scent of peony flowers seems to be telling you that gourmet food is not only a taste enjoyment, but also a nourishment for the soul.