Fermented Drunken Fish

The method of fermentation in distillers' grains is quite widespread and is fairly common in the Zhejiang region. This is a traditional tasty preservation method; meats, poultry eggs and fish can all be processed into fermented foods.

The processing of fermented aquatic products can be divided into two stages: salting and dehydration, and storage in seasoning. Salting and dehydration generally adopts a short period of light salting, followed by moderate drying. The purpose is to initially achieve a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect and to impart a certain saltiness, which creates favorable conditions for further enhancing the flavor. The materials for storage in seasoning are mainly distillers' grains and some other spicy auxiliary materials. Distillers' grains contain alcohol, so they have preservative capacity, and during the fermentation process they can give the product a special flavor.

1. Raw materials and their treatment: The raw fish used for fermentation must be fresh and plump. Salted fish can also be used as raw material, but it must undergo proper desalting treatment.

Fresh raw materials should be opened up to remove the internal organs, the head, tail and fins removed, then cut crosswise with a knife into 3-4 segments, washed in 3% salt water to fully remove the blood. After washing, drain off the water, then proceed with salting, using 10-15% salt, salting for 1-2 days, then take out and wash in water to remove surface impurities and achieve the purpose of moderate desalting. Drain off the water, dry in the sun or in the shade until it reaches fifty or sixty percent dryness. The more dehydrated, the longer it can be stored.

2. Fermentation materials and fermentation method: The main material used for fermented products is the pressed lees from wine-making (rice wine lees are best), called distillers' grains. Good-quality distillers' grains have low moisture content and a rich, mellow fragrance, containing about 4-6% ethanol, with no sour taste. Distillers' grains stored for several days will inevitably decline in quality, becoming sour due to fermentation; the ethanol content is decomposed and reduced until it disappears. If storage continues, the acidity will weaken and be neutralized, after which an unpleasant odor develops, entering the stage of complete spoilage. Therefore, distillers' grains that have already decomposed and become sticky cannot be used. The distillers' grains used domestically and abroad are mainly sweet distillers' grains; yellow wine lees are also used, but the flavor is inferior. Sweet distillers' grains can give the product an appropriate sweetness. If ordinary sake lees give too bland a taste, an appropriate amount of distilled liquor and granulated sugar can be added to supplement the insufficient ethanol content and provide a certain sweetness.

When fermenting, if the temperature is relatively high, a small amount of distilled liquor should be sprayed on the fish body to increase the bacteriostatic capacity. The fermentation vessels should be small ceramic jars with a relatively small mouth (capacity about 10-20 kg). After disinfection and drying, first spread a layer of distillers' grains on the bottom, then tightly arrange a layer of semi-dry raw fish on top, then fill another layer of distillers' grains, and so on layer by layer until full. The gaps between the fish bodies should be filled solid with distillers' grains, and each layer must be pressed firmly so that there are no gaps with residual air. The jar mouth should be covered with a relatively thick layer of grains level with the jar mouth, then a little salt added on top and distilled liquor sprinkled on, after which the jar mouth and shoulder are wiped clean, then covered with two layers of disinfected plastic film tied tightly with fine string, and finally sealed with wet mud. Not the slightest air leakage is allowed, and no air should remain in the jar; this is the most important step in the fermentation processing technique, otherwise the product may spoil. When using distillers' grains, add 5% salt by weight of the grains and mix well; the dryness and wetness should be appropriate. If too dry, some distilled liquor can be sprinkled in and blended, which can also enhance the fragrance. After the fish bodies are sealed in the fermented grains, at high temperatures store for half a month; at lower temperatures store for over a month, and the product gradually matures. If kept absolutely airtight and stored in a low-temperature environment, it can be preserved for over a year without spoiling. The reason why fermented products develop softness and spoilage during storage is mainly due to excessive moisture in the fish body, low salt content, high storage temperature, poor quality of the grains used, and air remaining in the container or inadequate sealing that allows leakage, etc. Therefore, every step must be strictly attended to, with no slight negligence. Fermented products should have firm, not mushy, fish texture; due to the penetration of ethanol the flesh color turns crimson, with no sour taste but a special fermented aroma. The product surface is not sticky, and the distillers' grains show no sour taste, spoilage odor or stickiness. For the storage of fermented products, if the raw fish is relatively dry and the grains have low moisture content, then after maturing there is no need to open the seal and it can continue to be stored; during transport it also remains in its original state. If semi-dry or less-than-semi-dry raw fish is used, and the grains have high moisture content and maturity is relatively rapid, then after maturing it should be opened and eaten immediately, otherwise it will deteriorate due to relatively strong autolysis.