Is the noodlefish a saltwater or freshwater fish, is it irradiated, and how to cook it deliciously

The noodlefish is a collective name for several translucent fish species of the genus Neosalanx in the family Salangidae, the Japanese icefish family. It is a high-protein, low-fat food, suitable for patients with hyperlipidemia. So is it a saltwater fish or a freshwater fish? Is it an irradiated fish? How to cook it deliciously? According to Salangidae records, the noodlefish is a freshwater fish, about 7 to 10 cm long, with a slightly rounded, slender and transparent body and a silvery sheen, hence its name. Those produced at the mouth of the Yangtze River have a slightly longer body and are commonly called “mianzhangyu” and “noodlefish”.

Is the noodlefish an irradiated fish?

The noodlefish is not an irradiated fish.

It is a freshwater fish that can also live in coastal waters, with a habit of migrating from the sea to rivers. It is distributed in coastal areas from Shandong to Zhejiang, especially abundant in Poyang Lake and the Chongming area at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Taihu Lake in China is rich in noodlefish. A few species are distributed as far as Korea, Japan and the Sakhalin region of the Russian Far East.

The noodlefish has a slender body, nearly cylindrical, slightly flattened at the rear, about 12 cm long. The head is extremely flat. The eyes are large; the mouth is also large, with a long, pointed, triangular snout. The upper and lower jaws are equal in length; the premaxilla, maxilla, mandible and palate each bear a row of fine teeth, and the front of the mandible has 1 pair of canine teeth. The front end of the lower jaw has no symphyseal bone but has a fleshy protrusion. Dorsal fin II 11-13, slightly at the rear 3/4 of the body. Pectoral fin 8-9, with an inconspicuous muscular base. Anal fin III 23-28, opposite the dorsal fin; male fish have a row of large scales on each side of the base of the anal fin, generally 18-21. There is a small transparent fatty fin between the dorsal fin and the caudal fin. The body is soft and scaleless, completely transparent, turning milky white after death. There is a row of black dots on each side of the body, and on the ventral surface from the chest through the abdomen to the front of the anal fin there are 2 rows of small parallel black dots, separated left and right along the base of the anal fin and merging at the rear, extending straight to the base of the tail. In addition, small black dots are scattered on the first fin rays of the caudal fin and pectoral fin.

How to cook the noodlefish deliciously?

1. Remove the internal organs of the fish, clean them thoroughly and drain off the water; add a little salt and cooking wine, mix well and marinate for 5 minutes; sprinkle an appropriate amount of starch on the surface and coat evenly.

2. Heat the wok with cool oil, put the fish in the wok and pan-fry; fry both sides until set, then remove and set aside.

3. Leave the base oil in the wok, add scallion, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant; add the fried fish, splash in cooking wine and fragrant vinegar over high heat; add an appropriate amount of soy sauce.

4. Add water, bring to a boil, then cook for 5 minutes; add salt and white sugar to season; after reducing the sauce over high heat, turn off the heat; transfer to a plate and serve.