Northeastern Cuisine Delicacies（Four)

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1 Stir-Fried Fragrant Conch

[Ingredients]
200 grams cleaned fragrant conch meat
100 grams rendered lard
15 grams julienned yulan slices
15 grams soy sauce
15 grams soaked wood ear fungus
1.5 grams MSG
25 grams oilseed rape (Chinese broccoli)
30 grams wet starch
50 grams chicken broth
10 grams sliced scallions
10 grams salt
10 grams minced ginger
15 grams Shaoxing wine
5 grams peppercorn oil

[Cooking Method]

  1. Slice the fragrant conch meat horizontally through the opening, flatten with a knife, and then cut into circular slices about 0.15 cm thick. Julienne the yulan slices. Slice the larger wood ear fungus into pieces. Cut the oilseed rape into 2 cm long pieces. Slice the scallions and mince the ginger.
  2. Blanch the fragrant conch meat, yulan slices, wood ear fungus, and oilseed rape in boiling water briefly, then drain well. Heat the rendered lard in a wok until hot, stir-fry the scallions and ginger until fragrant, then add the blanched ingredients and stir-fry briefly. Add soy sauce, salt, MSG, Shaoxing wine to season, thicken with wet starch, and finish with a drizzle of peppercorn oil.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. Pay attention to slicing the conch meat evenly for uniform cooking and texture.
  2. Use high heat to quickly stir-fry the ingredients.

[Flavor Characteristics]

  1. Fragrant conch, a type of oil conch from the Bohai Sea, is large and plump, with the best quality available from May to August each year.
  2. This dish is a famous seafood specialty from Liaoning Province. It uses fragrant conch from the Bohai Sea, combined with yulan slices, wood ear fungus, and oilseed rape, prepared using stir-frying techniques. The natural color combination, tender texture, fresh taste, and lightness make it an ideal dish to pair with wine.

2 Steamed Red Gurnard with Pork Netting

[Ingredients]
750 grams cleaned red gurnard
100 grams chicken broth
100 grams pork netting
15 grams salt
15 grams ham
10 grams scallions
15 grams yulan slices (dried lily buds)
10 grams ginger
15 grams dried shiitake mushrooms
5 grams Sichuan peppercorns
15 grams Shaoxing wine
15 grams cilantro (coriander)
1.5 grams MSG

[Cooking Method]

  1. Make shallow diagonal cuts 1.3 cm apart on both sides of the fish. Julienne the scallions, ginger, ham, yulan slices, and dried shiitake mushrooms. Finely chop the cilantro.
  2. Blanch the fish briefly in boiling water, then place it on a spread-out pork netting. Arrange yulan slices, dried shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and ginger juliennes on top of the fish. Sprinkle with salt. Fold the pork netting over to wrap the fish completely. Place the fish in a steaming dish, add Shaoxing wine, MSG, salt, and chicken broth. Steam for about 15 minutes until cooked through.
  3. Remove the fish from the steamer. Transfer the broth to a frying pan, add Shaoxing wine, MSG, adjust seasoning as needed, drizzle with sesame oil, and sprinkle with shredded ham and cilantro.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. Use fresh red gurnard for the best results in steaming.
  2. Ensure the steaming time is adequate, as the fish wrapped in pork netting may take longer to cook through.

[Flavor Characteristics]

  1. Red gurnard, scientifically known as Chelidonichthys lucerna, comes in red and black varieties, with the red being highly prized for its tender, white flesh with few bones. It is a rare delicacy among sea fishes.
  2. This dish is a traditional specialty from Liaoning Province. It features red gurnard from the Bohai Sea, renowned for its delicate texture and pale red color. Combined with pork netting, ham, yulan slices, dried shiitake mushrooms, and cooked using steaming techniques, the dish retains its original flavors, offering a light and delicious taste, and it is nutritionally rich.

3 Braised Black Porgy

[Ingredients]

  • 1 black porgy, approximately 750g
  • 1000g fresh broth
  • 15g dried lily buds
  • 15g refined salt
  • 15g dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 10g green onion
  • 15g leafy greens
  • 10g ginger
  • 25g pork belly
  • 5g Sichuan peppercorns
  • 50g rendered pork fat
  • 3g ground pepper
  • 15g Shaoxing wine
  • 25g cilantro
  • 3g monosodium glutamate
  • 10g sesame oil

[Preparation]

  1. Score the fish on both sides at 1.3 cm intervals, briefly fry in hot oil, then remove. Slice the lily buds, shiitake mushrooms, leafy greens, and pork belly. Finely chop the cilantro. Cut the green onion into sections and finely chop part of it. Slice the ginger and finely chop part of it.
  2. Heat a spoonful of rendered pork fat in a pot, add green onion sections, ginger slices, and Shaoxing wine to infuse the aroma. Stir-fry the ingredients, add the broth, skim off any foam when boiling, adjust seasoning, then add the fish. Simmer over low heat until the broth reduces to about 500g. Remove the green onion, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns, drizzle with sesame oil, garnish with chopped green onion, ginger, and cilantro, and serve.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. When frying the fish, ensure it doesn’t brown to maintain its tender texture.
  2. After adding the fish, simmer gently to keep the fish tender and flavorful.

[Flavor Characteristics]
“Braised Black Porgy” is a traditional dish from Liaoning Province. Made with black porgy from Bohai Sea, it is first lightly fried and then braised in clear broth. The meat is tender, delicious, and light, making it a popular dish for banquets.

4 Pine Nut Yellow Croaker

[Ingredients]

  • 1 yellow croaker, about 1000g
  • 25g bamboo shoots
  • 25g peas
  • 250g fresh ground pork
  • 1000g vegetable oil
  • 50g eggs
  • 200g fresh broth
  • 25g soaked dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 15g refined salt
  • 3g monosodium glutamate
  • 50g fermented soybean paste
  • 15g Shaoxing wine
  • 10g green onion
  • 15g white sugar
  • 10g ginger
  • 10g vinegar
  • 5g minced garlic
  • 20g wet starch

[Preparation]

  1. Clean the yellow croaker, remove the head and tail, debone and cut into four fillets. Score each fillet in a crosshatch pattern, cut off the corners slightly, marinate with salt, Shaoxing wine, and monosodium glutamate. Prepare bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms by slicing them thinly.
  2. Mix ground pork with Shaoxing wine, salt, monosodium glutamate, egg white, and wet starch. Form into 16 meatballs, steam until cooked through, then set aside.
  3. Coat the marinated fish fillets with a layer of flour, skin side up on a cutting board. Dip the steamed meatballs in egg white, placing one on each fish fillet, shaping them into balls.
  4. Heat vegetable oil in a wok until hot (about 60-70% heat). Deep fry the fish balls until golden and crispy, resembling pine nuts. Remove and arrange on a plate.
  5. In the same wok, leave a small amount of oil, stir-fry green onion, ginger, and minced garlic until fragrant. Add fermented soybean paste and stir briefly. Pour in a little fresh broth, Shaoxing wine, white sugar, vinegar, salt, monosodium glutamate, and other ingredients. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, thicken slightly with wet starch, and pour the sauce over the pine nut-shaped fish balls.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. Ensure uniform and consistent knife work to maintain perfect pine nut shapes.
  2. Control oil temperature and cooking time to achieve a crispy yet tender dish.

[Flavor Characteristics]

  1. Yellow croaker from the Bohai Sea is known for its rich and tender meat, with few bones and high nutritional value. It is one of China’s major economic fish and a common ingredient in northeastern cuisine. Dishes like “Pine Nut Yellow Croaker” highlight its versatility in various cooking methods.
  2. “Pine Nut Yellow Croaker” is a traditional delicacy from Liaoning Province, featuring fresh yellow croaker paired with pork meatballs and other vegetables, expertly prepared through steaming, frying, and braising techniques. The dish is visually appealing, crispy, tender, sweet, and sour, blending fish and meat uniquely.

5 Sweet and Sour Tilefish

[Ingredients]

  • 1 whole fresh tilefish, about 300g
  • 15g Shaoxing wine
  • 10g sesame oil
  • 15g bamboo shoots
  • 15g soy sauce
  • 15g fresh mushrooms
  • 1.5g monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  • 15g peas
  • 10g refined salt
  • 100g wet starch
  • 10g green onion
  • 100g white sugar
  • 10g ginger
  • 50g vinegar
  • 10g garlic

[Preparation]

  1. Clean the tilefish by removing the head, tail, scales, and internal organs. Rinse thoroughly and slice diagonally into tile-like pieces. Marinate with refined salt and Shaoxing wine for a while, then mix with wet starch until the fish is coated evenly. Dice bamboo shoots, fresh mushrooms, and green onion. Mince ginger and garlic.
  2. Prepare a sweet and sour sauce by mixing white sugar, vinegar, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and wet starch.
  3. Heat vegetable oil in a wok until it reaches about 60% heat. Fry the fish pieces until the outer layer is slightly hardened. Remove and set aside. When the oil reaches about 70% heat, fry the fish pieces again until they turn golden brown and crispy on the outside while remaining tender inside. Drain excess oil using a slotted spoon and arrange on a plate.
  4. Leave a small amount of oil in the wok, stir-fry green onion and ginger until fragrant. Immediately add the prepared sweet and sour sauce mixture, stir until thickened, then drizzle with sesame oil.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. Ensure the fish is sliced into tile-like pieces for a distinctive appearance.
  2. The consistency of the sauce should be slightly thickened but not too thick.

[Flavor Characteristics]
“Sugar Vinegar Tilefish” is a traditional dish from Liaoning Province. Made with local specialty tilefish from the Bohai Sea, it is prepared using frying and braising techniques. The dish is characterized by its sweet and sour flavor profile and distinctive tile-shaped appearance. With its golden color and crispy exterior combined with tender flesh inside, it has become a popular choice among diners for its delicious taste.

6 Steamed Fish Fillets in White Sauce

[Ingredients]

  • 1 fresh yellow croaker, approximately 750g
  • 50g egg whites
  • 100g rendered pork fat
  • 15g oilseed rape (canola) greens
  • 30g wet starch
  • 10g ham
  • 15g refined salt
  • 15g Shaoxing wine
  • 3g ground pepper
  • 1.5g monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  • 50g flour
  • 10g vinegar
  • 200g fresh broth

[Preparation]

  1. Clean the fish by removing the gills, internal organs, and scales. Remove the flesh from the bones and score it lightly. Season lightly and then coat with flour and egg whites. Pan-fry gently in a heated pan with a little oil. Slice the ham and oilseed rape greens into diamond-shaped pieces.
  2. Heat rendered pork fat in a wok until hot. Stir-fry green onion, ginger, ham slices, and oilseed rape greens. Add Shaoxing wine, fresh broth, refined salt, a little vinegar, and ground pepper. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, remove the green onion and ginger pieces, then add the pan-fried fish fillets. Simmer gently until cooked through, adjust seasoning, thicken slightly with wet starch, and carefully transfer the fillets onto a serving plate.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. When removing the fish flesh from the bones, ensure it remains intact to maintain the shape of the fillets.
  2. Control the heat properly to preserve the fillets’ white color and tender texture.

[Flavor Characteristics]
“Steamed Fish Fillets in White Sauce” is a traditional dish from Liaoning Province. Located on the Liaodong Peninsula with abundant seafood, Liaoning boasts delicacies like tongue sole, sea bream, and yellow croaker—known for their tender flesh and minimal bones. This dish showcases the yellow croaker, prepared with frying and steaming techniques to highlight its delicate flavor, tender texture, and mild, refreshing taste, making it a delightful and elegant dish.

7 Pan-Fried Mahi-Mahi with Stuffed Green Peppers

[Ingredients]

  • 500g cleaned mahi-mahi fillets
  • 2g monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  • 150g chicken breast
  • 15g Shaoxing wine
  • 3 egg whites
  • 15g sesame oil
  • 5 green peppers
  • 10g green onion
  • 30g wet starch
  • 10g ginger
  • 100g rendered pork fat
  • 200g fresh broth
  • 15g orange salt (or regular salt)

[Preparation]

  1. Slice the mahi-mahi fillets into 0.5cm thick pieces using a diagonal cutting method. Marinate with refined salt, MSG, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil for about 30 minutes.
  2. Finely chop the chicken breast and mix with egg whites, refined salt, MSG, and Shaoxing wine. Use a mold to press the green peppers into 12 frog-shaped pieces, then stuff them with the chicken mixture.
  3. Heat rendered pork fat in a wok until hot. Stir-fry green onion and ginger until fragrant, then remove from the wok. Place the mahi-mahi fillets into the hot oil, fry gently over medium heat until cooked through. Remove from the wok and arrange on a serving plate in the center. Steam the stuffed green peppers for about 3 minutes until cooked, then arrange them around the fish fillets on the plate.
  4. In the same wok, pour in the fresh broth and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, then season with refined salt, MSG, and Shaoxing wine. Thicken the sauce with wet starch, then pour over the stuffed green peppers.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. Marinate the fish fillets thoroughly for enhanced flavor; longer marinating time is preferable.
  2. Use medium heat when pan-frying to ensure the fish fillets are cooked evenly without burning the outside.

[Flavor Characteristics]

  1. “Pan-Fried Mahi-Mahi” is a specialty dish from Heilongjiang Province. Mahi-mahi, also known as salmon, prefers living in cold water and leads a migratory life. After hatching, they travel downstream into the sea and typically roam the ocean for 4 years before returning to the Heilongjiang River basin from the Okhotsk Sea area. Their journey home is a remarkable feat, traveling against the current at a speed of about 30 kilometers per day for a day and night. Upon reaching their spawning grounds after 4 years of absence, they diligently seek out clear water sources with gravel and springs on the riverbed to fulfill their once-in-a-lifetime mission of reproducing offspring. During spawning, female fish use their tails to dig a nest about 1 meter long and 30 cm deep, burying their eggs to protect their development. After spawning, both male and female fish die. This cycle repeats generation after generation.
  2. This dish is visually appealing and crafted with precision techniques. It offers a savory and tender taste profile. Mahi-mahi, as the main ingredient, is highly prized and often featured in upscale banquet settings.

8 Home-style Braised Crucian Carp

[Ingredients]

  • 1 fresh crucian carp, about 1000g
  • 1000g fresh broth
  • 15g refined salt
  • 25g pork fat
  • 50g rice vinegar
  • 15g Shaoxing wine
  • 15g cilantro (coriander)
  • 10g green onion
  • 10g sesame oil
  • 10g ginger
  • 25g ground white pepper

[Preparation]

  1. Scale and clean the crucian carp, removing the gills and internal organs. Blanch briefly in boiling water, then rinse in cold water to remove any remaining dark skin. Score the fish with criss-cross cuts.
  2. Cut the green onion into sections and julienne. Slice the ginger into julienne strips and slices. Cut the pork fat into slices and set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a wok until hot. Add ginger slices, green onion sections, and pork fat slices. Pour in the fresh broth and add the fish. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for 10 minutes. When the broth turns milky white, add refined salt, MSG, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, and ground white pepper.
  4. Remove the fish from the wok and place it in a soup bowl. Remove the green onion sections and ginger slices from the broth. Pour the broth over the fish in the bowl. Garnish with green onion julienne, ginger julienne, cilantro, and drizzle with sesame oil.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. Be careful not to break the fish skin when blanching.
  2. Maintain a vigorous boil for the broth to achieve a milky white appearance. Adjust the sour and spicy flavor by adding a small amount of sugar to enhance freshness.
  3. Use fresh crucian carp for best results; avoid using dead fish.

[Flavor Characteristics]
“Home-style Braised Crucian Carp” is a common dish in Heilongjiang Province. Fresh crucian carp has tender and white flesh, with a balanced amount of fat that adds richness without being greasy. This dish uses a simple braising technique that combines the flavors of soup and fish, creating a hearty, tangy, and appetizing dish with a distinct rural flavor.

9 Pine Nut Whole Fish

[Ingredients]

  • 1 whole Xingkai crucian carp, about 1500g
  • 40g white vinegar
  • 10g refined salt
  • 80g pine nuts
  • 1000g vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 15g Shaoxing wine
  • 500g breadcrumbs
  • 30g wet starch
  • 60g tomato sauce
  • 10g green onion
  • 10g white sugar
  • 10g ginger

[Cooking Method]

  1. Scale and clean the crucian carp, removing the gills, internal organs, and rinse thoroughly. Use a knife to cut off the head and tail (set aside the head and tail for later use). Cut along the back to remove the large bones, then fillet the belly to get two clean pieces of fish. Use a knife to score the fish fillets with criss-cross cuts. Place them in a bowl, add Shaoxing wine, refined salt, green onion, and ginger chunks, marinate and stew.
  2. Dredge the marinated fish fillets, head, and tail in flour, dip them in egg wash, and coat evenly with breadcrumbs. Shape the two fish fillets into a pine cone-like form, with the head’s mouth open and the tail shaped into a swallowtail.
  3. Toast the pine nuts until fragrant, remove the thin skins, and set aside. Heat a wok with a little oil, fry the green onion and ginger until fragrant, remove them, then stir-fry the tomato sauce over low heat until golden red. Add broth, refined salt, white sugar, bring to a boil, adjust the flavor with white vinegar, thicken with wet starch to make tomato sauce, and pour into a large bowl for later use.
  4. Heat oil in a wok to 150°C, fry the fish fillets, head, and tail until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oil, drain excess oil, arrange on a fish plate, pour the prepared tomato sauce over them, sprinkle with pine nuts, and serve.

[Cooking Tips]

  1. When scoring the fish, ensure the cuts are even and do not pierce through the fish skin.
  2. Maintain the correct oil temperature to fry the fish evenly and retain its shape.

[Flavor Characteristics]
“Pine Nut Whole Fish” is a specialty dish from Heilongjiang Province, awarded a bronze medal in the second National Culinary Arts Competition. This dish uses Xingkai Lake’s specialty, the Xingkai crucian carp, and pine nuts. It is prepared using frying and stewing techniques. Xingkai crucian carp are small in size, weighing no more than 1 kg, with tender and delicious meat, making them highly prized. Alongside Yellow River carp, Songhua River salmon, and Songjiang perch, they are known as the “Four Famous Fish of China.” The dish is characterized by its balanced sweet and sour taste, rich nutrition, and digestive benefits, making it appetizing and nutritious.

10 Milk Stewed Crucian Carp with Radish Net

[Ingredients]

  • 1 live crucian carp, about 600 grams
  • 10 grams of salt
  • 300 grams of green radish
  • 2 grams of MSG (monosodium glutamate)
  • 1000 grams of milk soup
  • 15 grams of Shaoxing wine
  • 50 grams of rendered pork fat
  • 10 grams of spring onion
  • 15 grams of rice vinegar
  • 10 grams of ginger

[Cooking Method]

  1. First, thread a bamboo skewer through the center of the green radish and cross-cut it into slices around the skewer, ensuring to cut up to the skewer at the center. Then lay the radish flat on a cutting board. Use a knife to spiral cut from the outer skin of the radish inward to form a net pattern.
  2. Scale and gut the crucian carp, wash thoroughly, and make cross cuts on both sides of the fish. Blanch the fish briefly in boiling water and then rinse with cold water. Blanch the green radish net in boiling water, then cool it down. Cut spring onion and ginger into chunks.
  3. Heat a small amount of rendered pork fat in a cooking pot, stir-fry with spring onion and ginger until fragrant. Add milk soup, crucian carp, salt, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, and MSG. Place the radish net over the fish, cover the pot tightly, stew over high heat for 15 minutes. Serve the stewed fish with the radish net in a serving dish.

[Cooking Key Points]

  1. Choose live crucian carp from rivers; if using pond fish, soak in clean water for a few days to remove any muddy taste. Crucian carp from Songhua Lake is excellent for high-end banquets.
  2. The milk soup should be rich and creamy, with a milky white color. Use high heat to achieve the desired result, so add enough soup to ensure a wide coverage.
  3. Make the radish net finely spiral-cut to showcase both technical and artistic skills.

[Flavor Characteristics]
“Milk Stewed Crucian Carp with Radish Net” is a traditional delicacy from Jilin Province, featuring crucian carp from Songhua Lake stewed in milk soup. The fish meat is tender and flavorful, complemented by the radish net which adds a unique visual and textural contrast. This dish is known for its rich yet non-greasy flavor profile, appealing to both taste and aesthetics.