Page 14 - Yunnan Tourism Culture Times (96)

14 FOOD | 好吃

Jiangchuan-style salted Fish:

an ICH flavor for a family reunion dinner

江川盐水鱼：

年夜饭里的非遗味道

Shortly after breakfast, smoke “Now let’s present the dishes! It’s
By Pu Meiling, Li Dan, and Xia Fengfei from cooking fires began to waft out time for the Spring Festival’s Eve din-
□ 浦美玲 李丹 夏凤斐 / 文 from every home in Shangying Vil- ner!” As customary, the focal point of
lage, located in Xiongguan Township, the table was designated for the salted
Jiangchuan District. Villagers Chen fish dish.
Jianghuan and his sister had marinat- For millennia, the residents of Ji-
In the Chinese language, the charac- ed several fresh fish, seasoning them angchuan have thrived along the shores
ter for “fish” shares the same pronun- with chili, prickly ash, amomum tsao- of Xingyun Lake. Their livelihood
ciation as the character for “surplus”. ko, star anise, and other spices. They centered around fishing, leading to the and culinary
As a result, a fish dish is considered placed chopsticks and a wooden board cultivation and transmission of a pro- heritage.
essential for a traditional Spring Festi- at the bottom of a pot, carefully ar- found fishing culture and a diverse ar- “When the
val Eve dinner. In Jiangchuan District, ranged the fish on top, covered them ray of fish recipes. One such dish is the salted fish is pre-
sented, we all experience
salted fish made from fresh catch from
with a layer of ginger and garlic slices,
Yuxi City, the salted fish prepared us- as well as prickly ash grains, and added Xingyun Lake, which harks back to the a sense of ceremony,” shared Chen
ing local traditional methods is revered just the right amount of water before most primitive cooking techniques and Junyu, a student who has been pursuing
as the finest among all fish dishes and setting the pot over the fire to simmer. epitomizes the art of fish preparation. studies outside his hometown for years.
recognized as an intangible cultural “The longer it simmers, the more Remarkably, various species of fish Even when far from home, he always
heritage of Yunnan Province. flavorful it becomes. And a touch of from the lake can be used to create this yearns for the taste of his mother's metic-
chili oil not only enhances its appear- salted fish delicacy, renowned for its ulously prepared salted fish.
ance but also elevates the taste to a new depth of flavor, exquisite texture, long “Cheers! Happy Spring Festival!”
level of juiciness,” remarked Jiang- shelf life, and easy serving. echoed throughout the gathering. As
鱼是传统年夜饭必不可少的一道菜肴。 huan. He further explained that despite In December 2022, salted fish was night fell, the festive spirit of the Spring
在玉溪市江川区，最为亮眼的鱼，要数入选 using a similar cooking method for the added to the Fifth List of Representative Festival grew even more palpable.
salted fish, each family in the village Intangible Cultural Heritages of Yunnan
云南省级非物质文化遗产的传统特色菜盐水 produces a uniquely flavored dish due Province, solidifying its status as a prom-
鱼，因寓意吉庆有余，深受人们喜爱。 to individual variations in preparation. inent emblem of Jiangchuan’s fishing