Squirrel Mandarin Fish
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Squirrel Mandarin Fish
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Squirrel Mandarin Fish (Simplified Chinese: 松鼠鳜鱼; Traditional Chinese: 松鼠鱖魚; Pinyin: Sōngshǔ guìyú) is a Jiangsu (especially Suzhou) banquet dish in which mandarin fish is deeply scored, fried until it fans open like a squirrel's tail, and finished with a bright sweet-and-sour sauce.
Characteristics
Knife work and hot oil make the flesh bloom into a crisp lattice. The sauce is glossy, sweet-tart, and often tomato-tinged in modern restaurant versions.
Ingredients (overview)
Mandarin fish (guiyu) or similar firm white fish, starch coating, oil, sugar, vinegar, ketchup or tomato in some kitchens, aromatics. Exact sauce formulas vary.
History and culture
The dish is a showpiece of Jiangsu Food and Suzhou culinary reputation, showcasing knife skill and banquet presentation. It is often listed alongside Lion's Head Meatballs among Su-cuisine classics.
Serving and variations
Banquet centerpiece. See Jiangsu Food; compare Hangzhou's West Lake Vinegar Fish for another Jiangnan fish signature.