What kind of fish is the Qian fish (also called channel catfish)? How much does it cost per jin and how to cook it deliciously

Besides pork, the meats we usually eat most are chicken, duck and fish. Well, we will leave chicken and duck aside for today, and focus mainly on how to cook and eat fish. In fact, the nutritional value of fish is very high, but the fish we usually eat are also very limited. So what is the Qian fish? How much does the Qian fish cost per jin? How do you cook it deliciously?

What is the Qian fish

The Qian fish, namely Zhou's Qian ichthyosaur, is a small to medium-sized ichthyosaur with a body length of 2-3 m. Compared with other ichthyosaurs, this ichthyosaur has a shorter snout, accounting for only 55% of the head. The orbit is round, accounting for 40% of the head. The cheek region is extremely narrow. The teeth are conical, with no longitudinal ornamentation on the surface. The dorsal spine curves upward, and the middle and rear parts of the tail bend noticeably downward. The forelimbs are slender and paddle-shaped, while the hindlimbs are thick and short.

The Qian fish looks very much like the catfish. The differences lie in the number of barbels, the shape of the tail and dorsal fin, and whether there are small fins behind the dorsal fin. These can preliminarily determine whether they are the same kind of fish or fish that are very closely related in classification.

How much does the Qian fish cost per jin

The price of the Qian fish varies from region to region

In Chengdu food markets, the Qian fish costs 10-15 yuan per jin and is the main fish species in the markets here.

In the Heyuan area of Guangdong, it is about 80 yuan per jin.

How to cook the Qian fish deliciously

1. Steamed Qian fish

Ingredients

500 g Qian fish, 3 tbsp steamed fish soy sauce, 3 tbsp cooking oil, 3 g salt, 2 tbsp cooking wine, 20 g shredded ginger, 10 g shredded scallion, 10 g shredded chili.

Method

1. After cleaning the Qian fish, score diagonal cuts on the fish body.

2. Then rub the fish body with salt and cooking wine and marinate for 15 minutes.

3. Put the fish on a plate and add shredded scallion and shredded ginger.

4. After the steamer is ready, put the fish plate in and steam over high heat for 8 minutes, then let it sit off the heat for 2 minutes.

5. After the fish is steamed, take it out and pour off the excess broth and the shredded ginger and scallion.

6. Add fresh shredded scallion and shredded chili, and drizzle with steamed fish soy sauce.

7. Heat oil in a wok until it begins to smoke, then take it out and pour it over the fish.

2. Braised fish

Ingredients

Fish, a little each of wine, scallion, garlic, chili, lard, and seasonings.

Method

1. After killing the fish, rub it with salt and seasonings, coat it with frying powder and marinate for about half an hour to one hour;

2. Heat oil in a wok, put in the fish when the oil is hot, and pan-fry the fish over alternating low or medium heat until golden brown, then transfer to a plate for later use.

3. Heat oil in a wok, saute the white parts of the scallion, garlic slices or minced garlic, ginger slices, etc. until fragrant, add an appropriate amount of water, add your favorite seasonings (such as doubanjiang, cooking wine, dark soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, etc.) and thicken into a sauce. Put the fish in and simmer for about ten minutes or more. Usually, the longer it simmers, the more the flavors of the various seasonings penetrate, but it cannot be simmered endlessly. Just the right amount is enough.

4. After the fish is cooked, add raw scallion, cilantro and other garnish you like, which both enhances the aroma and serves as decoration.

3. Grilled Qian fish

Ingredients

1 small bunch of celery, 2 large spoonfuls of Pixian doubanjiang, 1 large spoonful of cooking wine, an appropriate amount of salt, a little pepper powder, 1 small handful of cumin seeds, a little cilantro, a little Houttuynia cordata root, a little scallion, a little millet chili, about two jin of Qian fish, about one jin of rice cakes, one pack of instant noodles

Steps for making grilled Qian fish

1. Wash the Qian fish, score a few cuts on the fish body, add a little salt, cooking wine and pepper powder, and marinate for two hours

2. Chop all the ingredients (Houttuynia cordata root, celery, cilantro, scallion, ginger, millet chili, Pixian douban)

3. Heat a wok, pour in oil, add Pixian douban and stir-fry until red oil comes out, cook for one or two minutes, pour in the chopped auxiliary ingredients (Houttuynia cordata root, cilantro, scallion, ginger, millet chili, celery), stir-fry for a few minutes, add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, a little salt, add water and cook for a few minutes or so; when the sauce has reduced by half, turn off the heat

4. The fish should first be baked in the oven for 15 minutes; ovens vary in heat, so around 200 degrees, then take it out

5. Put the stir-fried ingredients on the fish and bake for about 40 minutes, then take it out, add the boiled rice cakes and instant noodles, put it back in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, and it is ready to come out; there are also homemade handmade fish balls on the side