Smoke-Dried Fish

Smoke-dried fish is a traditional Dongting product, small lake fish cleaned and slowly cured over a low fire until golden and firm, carrying a distinctive smoky aroma, easy to store and ready to eat.

The method comes from the lake fisherfolk's old way of keeping their catch—drying it over smoke and fire to preserve and flavour it at once, growing into a household snack and everyday ingredient across the Yueyang lakes.

Eaten on its own as a drinking snack, or more often dry-fried or steamed with chilli, perilla and garlic, where smoky cure meets lake freshness, a classic appetiser on the Yueyang table.

The marriage of smoky cure and Dongting fish freshness, with a firm chewy texture, defines smoke-dried fish.