Gannan Stir-Fried Fish
명물 먹거리Gannan stir-fried fish—also called Ganzhou xiaochao yu—takes grass carp cut into pieces, briefly fried then seared over high heat with ginger, garlic, chilli and rice vinegar to a glossy sauce; the dish comes out golden, crisp outside and tender within, tart and spicy on the tongue.
The dish embodies the Gannan Hakka principle of the "three fresh tricks." Migrating Hakka carried northern fish-eating habits south, then wove them together with the rivers of the Gannan hills and rice-vinegar seasoning, evolving into a hearty, oil-rich, sour-spicy country style handed down as a dish for both feasts and family tables.
Stir-fried to order and best eaten hot with rice, the fish carries the pan sauce and the vinegar lifts its freshness; it is usually paired with rice or rice wine, the centrepiece of a Ganzhou family meal or Hakka restaurant table.
Its golden glossy look, the crisp-yet-tender fish and the tart-spicy glaze are what set Gannan stir-fried fish apart from other fried-fish dishes.