Fish etc in China

[liuzhou]

17 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I love the taste of grouper but I had a pet grouper for about a year, which makes me hesitate to order grouper at a restaurant.

 

 

My mother was a keen tropical fish keeper and would be shocked to see the the fish counters in my local stores. I think they have 90% of her favourites ready for cooking.

 

My youngest brother had a huge tilapia which lived years. He was horrified to see them on fishmongers' slabs.

 

 

[liuzhou]

When I arrived in China 28 years ago, I was surprised to see a fish I recognised, but couldn’t afford! What I was looking at in a Beijing supermarket was S: 多宝鱼; T: 多寶魚 (duō bǎo yú), Scophthalmus maximus or Psetta maxima, Turbot.

 

 

What surprised me was not so much the price but that I knew it was a European native found in its greatest numbers around the coast of Britain and at the eastern end of the English Channel, but in lesser quantities by Mediterranean coasts – certainly not in eastern Asia.

 

Distribution of wild turbot: AquaMaps (2019, October). Computer generated distribution maps for Scophthalmus maximus (Turbot), with modelled year 2050 native range map based on IPCC RCP8.5 emissions scenario. Retrieved from https://www.aquamaps.org.

 

The price, which I can’t precisely remember, was astronomical, but it seemed some people appreciated it enough pay for it to be flown in from Europe. But then, the Chinese literally means ‘many treasures fish’.

 

Today, it is farmed here and, although not exactly cheap, is affordable. Around ¥66 / $9.12 USD for a 500g / 18 oz whole fish.

 

I’ve only eaten it in one way in restaurants – steamed with soy sauce, although I’ve pan fried it at home.

 

Steamed Soy Sauce Turbot in a Hunan restaurant in 2016

 

 

Edited May 26, 2024 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

 

鳕鱼 (xuě yú), Gadus morhua is Atlantic cod. The first character is made up of two parts. On the left we have 雪 (xuě) meaning ‘snow’and on the right 鱼 (yú) meaning ‘fish’. So, ‘snow fish’, presumably due to its white flesh.

 

Like salmon above, cod is imported from Norway, but is an only moderately popular fish here. It is mainly sold as frozen cod steaks sliced at right angles to the spine and more rarely as fillets sliced parallel to the spine.

 

It seldom sold fresh, but when it is, it is again normally as steaks. Whole fish are also occasionally available in various sizes. A 650-750 gram / 23-26½ oz fish sells at around ¥115 / $16 USD. I’ve never seen it cooked any other way than by steaming it, China’s default for white fish.

 

I use fillets for fish and chips, which, when you think about it, is really also steaming it – albeit inside a crisp fried batter.

 

[liuzhou]

This morning I came across something in my local supermarket that I’ve never seen in any Chinese supermarket before. They were live and labelled as, and looked like 波士顿龙虾 (bō shì dùn lóng xiā), which are Homarus americanus, Boston Lobster. How they ended up here I’ve no idea. The tank held around a dozen of them.

 

Previously I’ve only been able to order them for delivery, usually 24 hours in advance being required.

 

The Chinese name for lobster is 龙虾 (lóng xiā), which literally means ‘dragon shrimp’. Be careful, though. The extremely popular 小龙虾 (xiǎo lóng xiā), meaning “small lobster” are crayfish. Often restaurants that provide English on their menus omit the “small”.

 

These real lobsters were on sale for ¥268 ($37 USD) per 500 grams (1.1 lbs). Unfortunately, they were in a dark corner of the store and my photos aren’t clear.

 

 

So, here’s one I had delivered at Christmas from my delivery app. It was slightly more expensive.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2024 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

 

翘嘴鱼 (qiáo zuǐ yú, literally ‘warped mouth fish'), Predatory carp, Chanodichthys erythropterus is a new one to me.

 

Native to rivers and lakes across eastern Asia from Mongolia to Vietnam, these are now farmed in limited numbers. They are a species of carp, usually sold at from 17 to 27 cm / 6½ to 10½ inches in length, but can grow much larger. The record is 102 cm 40 inches. Carnivorous, they feed on insects, crustaceans and smaller fishes.

 

Tasty. Usually steamed. I can only buy them online; I guess most go to the restaurant trade. A 750g specimen shipped to me live sells for ¥110 / $15.20 USD.

 

 

[liuzhou]

I've mentioned tilapia more than once before in this topic but never red tilapia (红罗非鱼 -hóng luó fēi yú). These are not, as some food websites which should know better claim, a different species but simply regular tilapia which have been selectively bred to be red skinned and with pinkish red flesh.

 

Image: sohucs.com

 

They are also widely regarded as being more healthy eating as well as better flavoured than the regular colour. Given the blandness of regular tilapia that would not be surprising. They are, in addition, almost scentless, so ideal for those who find 'fishy' smells off-putting (although that usually indicates lack of freshness rather than any inherent quality of the fish itself).

 

They are becoming increasingly popular, but are relatively expensive. I buy them as fillets at around ￥50 / $6.88 USD each, which is expensive here. Regular tilapia are around half of that at most, often much cheaper.

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2024 by liuzhou (log)

[Slim W]

On 4/18/2024 at 6:34 AM, liuzhou said:

This morning I came across something in my local supermarket that I’ve never seen in any Chinese supermarket before. They were live and labelled as, and looked like 波士顿龙虾 (bō shì dùn lóng xiā), which are Homarus americanus, Boston Lobster. How they ended up here I’ve no idea. The tank held around a dozen of them.

 

Previously I’ve only been able to order them for delivery, usually 24 hours in advance being required.

 

The Chinese name for lobster is 龙虾 (lóng xiā), which literally means ‘dragon shrimp’. Be careful, though. The extremely popular 小龙虾 (xiǎo lóng xiā), meaning “small lobster” are crayfish. Often restaurants that provide English on their menus omit the “small”.

 

These real lobsters were on sale for ¥268 ($37 USD) per 500 grams (1.1 lbs). Unfortunately, they were in a dark corner of the store and my photos aren’t clear.

 

 

So, here’s one I had delivered at Christmas from my delivery app. It was slightly more expensive.

 

 

For price reference, when I left Newfoundland mid June 2024 the price paid to the fishermen had dropped from $6.70CDN to $5.45CDN a pound (500gr appox). It was probably one of the most plentiful catches in years I've seen.

Edited July 7, 2024 by Slim W
Spelling (log)

[liuzhou]

Today, I fancied me some tuna to go with my fresh 'real' wasabi, so I searched my food delivery app for 金枪鱼 (jīn qiāng yú) which is the Mandarin for tuna. To my momentary confusion, this image for a whole 'tuna' came up!

 

 

Clearly, this is no tuna. What it is, is sloppy mislabelling by ignorant, undertrained employees in Walmart. Not the employees' fault.

 

This specimen is the similarly sounding 金鲳鱼 (jīn chāng yú), golden pomfret, a fine fish but not even closely related to tuna.

 

In the end, I bought some donkey leg meat instead, as you do in these circumstances.

 

 

[liuzhou]

 

I’ve always been partial to a mackerel. Scomber scombrus, but those being found in North Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, they are rarely if ever found here. Fortunately, there are plenty of a near relation, 马鲛鱼 (mǎ jiāo yú). These are of the Scomberomorus* genus and are popularly known as chub mackerel, also confusingly called the Spanish Mackerel, although it has no connection with Spain that I can see.

 

There are 21 species in the family but the two most likely to be what I get are Scomberomorus niphonius, Japanese Spanish Mackerel or Scomberomorus sinensis, Chinese Spanish Mackerel. Just to confuse the issue even more, they are sometimes called Japanese or Chinese Seer Fish.

 

The two inhabit similar waters and Chinese doesn’t differentiate. The “Japanese Spanish” variety are confined to the subtropical and temperate waters of China, the Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan north to Vladivostok, former USSR.

 

AquaMaps (2019, October). Computer generated distribution maps for Scomberomorus niphonius (Japanese Spanish mackerel), with modelled year 2050 native range map based on IPCC RCP8.5 emissions scenario. Retrieved from https://www.aquamaps.org.

 

The “Chinese” are found in the Western Pacific Akita, Honshu, Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea and China south to Vietnam and Cambodia where it enters the Mekong River.

 

AquaMaps (2019, October). Computer generated distribution maps for Scomberomorus sinensis (Chinese seerfish), with modelled year 2050 native range map based on IPCC RCP8.5 emissions scenario. Retrieved from https://www.aquamaps.org.

 

Whatever, they taste just like mackerel to me and that’s all that really matters on the plate. My only complaint is that the locals tend to slice them at right angles to the spine, creating mackerel steaks,

 

 

whereas I prefer them filleted lengthwise. So, I buy them whole and deal with them myself.

 

 

Also, my much missed favourite preparation for mackerel is the hot smoked mackerel I ate as a child growing up in Scotland. Lovely with some bread and good butter! Last had any in 2019. No facilities for me to smoke it here.

 

 

* To my amusement, Scomberomorus is derived from the Latin, scomber, meaning mackerel and the Greek, moros meaning silly or stupid. Presumably because they don’t know where they are from. Silly mackerel!

 

 

Edited August 5, 2024 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

 

This interesting looking specimen, Panopea generosa, is a giant clam native to the north-eastern Pacific, mainly from Washington State and British Columbia but also found from Alaska to California. It is also farmed in East Asia. They have a life expectancy of around 140 years, but have been known to live up to 179 years. They are sometimes referred to as Glycineris generos, an outdated appellation or as Panopea abrupta, which is now extinct.

 

Their shells are around 15 – 20+cm / 6 to 8 inches long, but their siphons, the part we eat, are much longer and can be 1 metre / 3 ft 3 in.

 

Its popular English name, geoduck, is derived from the native American, Lushootseed language once spoken around Puget Sound, Washington State. Today, the language is only used ceremonially and is considered critically endangered. The meaning of the word in Lushootseed is disputed, with the main contenders being ‘genitals’ or ‘dig deep’, the first relating to the phallic appearance and the second to its function, as it’s used in burrowing into sand.

 

Geoduck is pronounced and also sometimes spelled ‘gooeyduck’.

 

In Chinese they are 象拔蚌 (Mandarin: xiàng bá bàng; Cantonese: zoeng6 bat6 pong5). This means 'elephant trunk clam’.

 

Mainly sliced and used in hotpots here, but eaten as sashimi in Japan, where it is called アメリカナミガ, meaning ‘American mussel’. In South Korea it is 코끼리조개 (elephant clam) and is eaten raw but also cooked in soups or stews.

 

I’ve never seen these in any store or market, but they are available for delivery. I’m fairly sure 99% or more are eaten in restaurants rather than at home.

 

These cost me ¥100 / $14.10 each for delivery, but up to three or even four times that in restaurants.

 

 

[liuzhou]

One of the less appealing sights in the local supermarkets and markets are these trays of gloop known as 鱼杂 (yú zá), which basically means 'fish mixture', but really means '鱼内脏 (yú nèi zàng).' This means 'fish inner organs' and is what those of you who clean your own fish almost certainly throw away. It is the maw, liver and intestines of unidentified fish but probably carp.

 

 

The maw is tasteless but is prized for texture; the liver is, in my view, inferior; and the intestines are pointless.

 

But surprisingly popular. Added to soups and hotpots. I'll eat them, but never go looking for and certainly never cook.  

 

 

[liuzhou]

When I fancied this for lunch today, I thought I’d have a look to see what I said about it here. To my surprise, I said nothing!

 

It is very popular indeed

 

I’m talking about octopus. Formally known as 章鱼 (zhāng yú), but more colloquially 八爪鱼 (bā zhuǎ yú), literally meaning “eight claw fish”. Yes, they don’t have claws and they aren’t fish, but the Chinese classes many aquatic animals as fish, at least in their names.

 

I don’t know which of the circa 300 members of the Octopoda order we get here. I doubt the vendors know either.

 

Mostly we get these baby octopuses*, although I can buy larger beasts or even bits of beast online. Never in markets or supermarkets.

 

 

They are mostly stir fried or boiled, but looking at my food delivery app, I see that the most common dish is to fry them and dress with a sesame and chilli sauce. I've had them in hotpots, too.

 

Sesame Chilli Dressed Octopus as pictured on Meituan food delivery app.

 

I’m not sure yet, what I’ll do with them later today.

 

*Yes the plural is octopuses. Octopi is nonsensical. It isn't even octopi in Latin or the original source of the word, Ancient Greek. It is octopodes, a term now only found in 18th century texts.

 

 

[liuzhou]

We get a lot of 下 (xiā), shrimp and 明虾 (míng xiā), prawns round these parts although usually I have no idea what precise species they are. Neither do the vendors; instead they use local or personal names for them which vary from market stall to stall.

 

Recently however, I’ve noticed a rise in the frequency of seeing this one I can identify. 罗氏虾 (luó shì xiā), Macrobrachium rosenbergii, giant river prawn or giant freshwater prawn. I’m told it’s also known as cherabin in Australia.

 

 

Native to a band from India across SE Asia to Northern Australia, it has been introduced in tropical and semi-tropical areas across Africa and the Americas as well as here in China.

 

These babies can grow to an astonishing 30 cm / 12 inches long and weigh up to 500 grams each. However they are generally sold at a maximum of half that.

 

 

Sold live, as usual. Prices vary by size, of course, but I expect to pay about ¥92 or $13 USD / 500 grams.

 

 

Edited March 11 by liuzhou (log)

[Smithy]

9 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Sold live, as usual. Prices vary by size, of course, but I expect to pay about ¥92 or $13 USD / 500 grams.

 

 

Those prawns have beautiful coloring.

 

I may be misconverting: is that rather expensive for shellfish in your area?

 

[liuzhou]

57 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

Those prawns have beautiful coloring.

 

I may be misconverting: is that rather expensive for shellfish in your area?

 

 

Very much so. The same weight of regular prawns costs around ¥40 / $5.50 USD

[liuzhou]

🦐

 

Although I almost always buy live prawns and shrimps, frozen specimens are available from the supermarkets and online outlets. The number of times I’ve bought them could be counted on the fingers a mutilated hand.

 

To save typing, I’ll call them all shrimp although some are taxonomically prawns.

 

No source is ever indicated for these, although I know there are several aquaculture endeavours in the south of Guangxi.

 

The come in all forms.

 

虾仁 (xiā rén) means ‘peeled shrimp’ or ‘shrimp meat’. They may or may not be deveined. I find them mealy and tasteless. And more expensive for the privilege! Prices seem set at random and vary widely so this time, I'm not giving any prices.

 

 

Frozen unpeeled shrimp are also available, including red Argentinians at a price, but more commonly regular coloured and sized shrimp. These are only found in supermarkets and even then, not often. People like live!

 

 

As well as regular unpeeled shrimp, I also  红虾仁 (hóng xiā), which are ‘red shrimp’. As ever I have no idea exactly what variety these are. They are not the red Argentinian or Red Royal types, but regular sized local varieties of which there are more than a few. I don't recall seeing these sold peeled.

 

The worst shrimp I ever ate was these – I only bought them because I had no idea what they were. I found out. Garbage!