West Lake Vinegar Fish

West Lake vinegar fish is grass carp poached and dressed in a sweet-sour glaze; the flesh is tender and the sauce bright, with a flavor that hints at crab.

The dish is traditionally traced to the Southern Song and a West Lake folk tale of a fisher family; Qing-era texts already record a "Madam Song's fish" that later took shape as West Lake vinegar fish.

Served hot as a main course, it is eaten at once to enjoy the silky fish against the balance of sugar and vinegar.

A clean, glossy glaze and precisely judged cooking—neither raw nor overdone—are the marks of a well-made plate.