Chapter 43 Xiangshui catfish

Xiangjiang River, known as Xiangshui in ancient times, is the largest river in Hunan.The Xiangjiang River originated from Haiyang Mountain in the northeast of Guangxi. For thousands of years, it has been surging and has been admired by the Xiang people.Dongfang Shuo's "Seven Remonstrances·Morning" has "measure the Xiangshui of Miluo, and know the time is solid but not reversed".That is to say, the personality of Xiangshui educating people. The upper reaches of the Xiangjiang River are called Haiyang River, and when they meet the Xiaoshui River in Yongzhou City, they are called Xiangjiang River.The Xiangjiang River flows eastward through Yongzhou, Hengyang, Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, and Changsha until Xiangyin enters Dongting Lake and returns to the Yangtze River.The upper reaches of the Xiangjiang River have many rapids, narrow valleys and short streams; the middle and lower reaches have rich water volume and stable water flow, with undulating hills and sandbars along the river. The famous ones are Niutouzhou, Juzizhou, Fujiazhou, Moon Island and Tengfei Island. .

The tributaries of the Xiangjiang River include Xiaoshui, Chonglingshui, Leishui, Munshui, Zhengshui and Lianshui.Lu Xun's "Song of the Xiangling" describes the scenery of the Xiangjiang River, "I heard that the Xiangshui River was as blue as dyed, but now I hear the traces of rouge on the Xiangshui River".The Xiangjiang River has been navigable since ancient times. In the old days, it was an important line of communication between Hunan, Hubei and Guangdong and Guangxi. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, literati and migrants have borrowed boats to come and go, leaving countless poems and lamentations, adding to the sadness and culture.

Along the Xiangjiang River, river fish is abundant. After thousands of years of exquisite cooking, it has become one of the three sub-categories of Hunan cuisine.There are 267 species of fish, shrimp, crab, turtle and shellfish in the Xiangjiang River, among which 117 are fish species.Famous ones include Chinese soft-shelled turtle, tortoise, triangular sail mussel, soft-shelled turtle, green shrimp, herring, grass carp, silver carp, bighead carp, carp, crucian carp, catfish, bream, shad, snakehead, mandarin fish, yellow catfish, Taihu There are 21 types of whitebait, blue saury, long snout, pomfret, etc. Catfish are the most popular among people on both sides of the Xiangjiang River.

Catfish is the fish species and gourmet raw material that people in Hunan pay the most attention to, and is loved by diners and literati.In Changsha, there are many beautiful legends about catfish. The embankment of the Xiangjiang River is made of catfish, and the catfish will break the embankment when it swings its tail; there is a catfish set on Liucheng Bridge, which specializes in catching catfish to honor the elderly; It was once highly praised by Kangxi, and I especially like to eat it. In downtown Changsha, along the Xiangjiang River Passenger Terminal to the north to Xinhekou and the confluence of Liuyang River, Laodao River and Xiangjiang River, it is a good place for Changsha fishermen to catch catfish at night.As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches and the weather gets warmer, catfish begin to forage for food at night.The big caterpillars are fat and strong, which is just the bait for catfish.On a rainless night, when the cool breeze is blowing on the banks of the Xiangjiang River, choose a place to fish, throw the pole and hook, wait patiently, and the catfish will approach.When the night is quiet, the noise and hustle and bustle of the city have dissipated, fishermen feel refreshed and happy, and fishing starts to become more active.At the first sight of the bell ringing, the pole was lifted and the line was lifted, and the lively catfish was lifted out of the water, which was very gratifying.In the hazy night, with the moonlight that appears and disappears, it is really fun to fish.

When the Xiangjiang River flows through Zhuting in Zhuzhou, it turns a semicircular bend called Wanzhou Bay.The river bend is rich in bream and catfish. During the rainy season, rafts are connected in the middle of the river. At night, fishing fires are lit, like the stars twinkling in the sky.A Zhuzhou proverb says: "In August, Nanyue shops are busy, and in March, fishermen in Zhuting are busy", which means that the fishing season in Zhuting has begun. On April 13, 2010, a fisherman caught a 31-jin catfish near the Xiangjiang navigation and power hub in the Zhuzhou section of the Xiangjiang River, which became the focus of media attention. In 2005, a catfish was accidentally caught in the Mekong River in Thailand, weighing 293 kilograms, making it the largest freshwater fish ever caught in the world.

Catfish is commonly known as pond louse, also known as catfish, bonito fish, mud fish, cotton fish, catfish barang, etc. In my country, there are catfish, beard catfish, Xijiang catfish, Yue catfish and other species, which are distributed all over the country and live in ponds. , rivers, lakes. Catfish has no scales, dark back, white belly, flat head, wide mouth, four long beards, sense of taste, round and short tail, no bifurcation, short dorsal fin, connected anal and caudal fins.There are two types of catfish, blue-gray and yellow-toothed, and the catfish with yellow-toothed teeth has piebald spots on its body.The meat of catfish is white and tender, and the fish skin is plump. It has the deliciousness of puffer fish and crucian carp, without the toxin of puffer fish and the spines of crucian carp.Catfish eggs are poisonous and ingestion can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing.

If you taste catfish, you will know that there are three major types, namely, big mouth, big head and big belly.Catfish has strong adaptability, fast growth, easy breeding, and easy catch. It is a world-renowned breeding species and fishing object.Catfish is an omnivorous fish that feeds on benthic organisms, aquatic insects, zooplankton, rotifers, organic debris and macroalgae, and preys on small fish such as meal strips, crucian carp, tiger fish, wheat ear fish, carp, loach, etc. . When we make catfish, we can follow the traditional classic dietary structure principle of "Five grains for nourishment, five fruits for help, five animals for benefit, and five vegetables for filling" in the "Huangdi Neijing", cook out the soil to see the special, the vulgar to see the elegance, and the meat and vegetables Xiangyi, the special taste loved by the world, meets the needs of diners.

I ate catfish and was very impressed. In 2000, I was still studying at Hunan Normal University.During the summer vacation that year, the school did not allow dormitories, so I rented a house nearby with a few classmates.At that time, what we ate most was stewed tofu with catfish.At that time, our living conditions were relatively low, and it was the time when we were short of food and saved money. In addition to tofu and winter melon, we only had fat meat and catfish every day. I live by the Xiangjiang River in Xuetangpo, and there is a vegetable market next to it. It is very convenient to buy vegetables. Every day when my tutor comes back, I go to buy vegetables by myself.Four or five of us eat winter melon, tofu, and catfish to improve our lives.In order to increase oil and water, buy half a catty of fat meat for each meal, cut the fat meat into large pieces, and cut the fish into large pieces.When frying fish, add fat pieces, cover the pot and fry together.All the oil of the fatty meat is fried. Under the high temperature of the meat oil, the fish is easy to fry, and the two sides are golden and cemented. Then boil it for a while, add garlic, red pepper, add tofu and stew until the soup is milky white and fragrant. Pan and serve.The catfish made in this way tastes very tough on the surface of the fish, the skin is waxy and soft, the meat is fine and smooth, forming tile-shaped pieces, the soup is delicious, and the tofu is tender.There are four or five of us, and we have a big appetite, and three or four dishes are not enough to serve the meal. I often serve the meal with catfish soup.At that time, I didn’t master the skill of frying fish. I always fried a part of the catfish and poured it into the soup for a long time. The fish in the soup was more flavorful and melted in the mouth.

Catfish is sweet and warm in nature, invigorates the middle and Qi, facilitates urination, and treats edema.It is suitable for people who are weak, weak, and malnourished. It is most suitable for the elderly, young, postpartum women, and people with poor digestive function.Except that the roe of catfish is inedible, the whole body of catfish is full of treasures.According to historical records, it is comparable to shark's fin and wild soft-shelled turtle, strong in essence and bone, and prolongs life. "Food Classic" contains "mainly deficiency and deficiency, which makes the skin plump." "Suixiju Diet Spectrum" contains "Catfish, sweet and warm, slightly poisonous. Hemorrhoids, anal pain, should not eat too much. All other diseases should be avoided. "The best season for eating catfish is between mid-spring and mid-summer. This is the time when catfish are fattest and freshest, and it is also the time when catfish grow and reproduce rapidly.

There is a lot of mucus on the body surface of catfish. After slaughtering, scald it in boiling water and rinse it with clean water to remove the mucus.Catfish cannot be eaten with beef and suet, beef liver, venison, and Nepeta, which is not good for human health.Catfish is still a big fat thing. People with chronic diseases and sores should eat it carefully, and it is best not to eat it.Maternal milk, you can drink more catfish soup. There are many catfish dishes that are well-known throughout the country. The famous ones are garlic catfish, braised catfish, boiled catfish, pan catfish, catfish stewed with eggplant, catfish stewed with tofu, etc. I have tried them all.

In the southern coastal areas of China, there is a kind of catfish that is specialized in trapping mice.It swims near the shore at night, sticks its tail out of the water, emits a foul smell, and attracts mice.The mouse approached and moved the catfish, but it didn't move. The mouse thought it was a dead fish.He bit his tail and dragged it hard to the shore.The catfish exerted all its strength, swung its tail, and dragged the mouse into the water, which became a delicious meal. After the tetraploid crucian carp cultivated by Liu Yun developed, the catfish disappeared from the dining table in Changsha for a while, and few people ate it again. Since 2005, there has been a trend of eating river fish in Changsha. On the Xiaoxiang Road between the entrance of Hunan University and the Monkey Stone Bridge, many river fish restaurants have been opened overnight to eat live fish and river fish. Some people began to think of catfish. In Tianma Mountain Opened a local restaurant, specializing in soil catfish.Other restaurants have also reintroduced catfish dishes. Tianma Mountain is the front wing on the east side of Yuelu Mountain, stretching close to the bank of Xiangjiang River.It is the place that the ancients must pass through to climb Yuelu Mountain. Together with Fenghuang Mountain and Taozi Lake, it is called two mountains and one lake.There are many people fishing along this coast, and the frequency of catching catfish is very high. Soil catfish is no longer a big catfish. We only select young catfish, five or six inches long, cut off the internal organs, fry until the back is golden brown, then cook a milky white soup, stew it with tofu, add pepper, perilla, etc., it is very delicious , loved by diners. I often go to Tianma Mountain to eat earth catfish together with teacher Yi Yang from the School of Chemical Engineering of Hunan Normal University and teacher Yang Zunmin from Hunan Normal University Press.Every time we choose to find a remote place on the roof of the restaurant, a few people gather around a table, blowing the breeze of the Xiangjiang River, enjoying the natural beauty, very cool and comfortable.You don’t need an air conditioner or a fan to drive the heat away when you eat, drink a little wine, and chat about trivial matters. That’s enjoyment and life. In the winter of 2008, I investigated Hunan's food resources and searched for folk ingredients throughout the province.From Hengyang to Xiangtan, a friend recommended me to eat native catfish by the Xiangjiang River. I took a taxi to the Tangxing Bridge at the foot of Taogong Mountain in Shizui Nao on the north bank of the Xiangjiang River, and entered a fish restaurant called Heipige River.The restaurant is very ordinary. It is a continuous shed, but there are many diners. They all come to eat earth catfish. It tastes like an earth restaurant. It was raining lightly that afternoon, and I took advantage of the rain to taste the native catfish from Xiangtan. The food was really good, sweet and delicious.At the beginning of the night, the Hunan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. on the opposite side just came out of the furnace. Looking at the distance, half the sky was so red, I was very impressed. Taste here, you can enjoy the delicious food and the beautiful scenery. After eating the earth catfish, I walked along the embankment and came to the Wangheng Pavilion not far away.The Wangheng Pavilion was repaired by Wang Jiejun in 1932. It is said that Tao Kan once stationed troops here and built Wangyue Pavilion and Fishing Pavilion on the side of the Xiangjiang River. They were specially built for fishing catfish. I don’t know why so many people come here to eat. Catfish are related.I climbed up and looked far away, Nanyue Hengshan was faintly visible, and Yuelu red maple was vividly visible.I admired the Xiangjiang River under the night, and guessed the infinite future of Xiangtan soil catfish. Over the years, I have been reminiscing about the taste of catfish, and I am also looking for restaurants with native catfish. I want to relive the days of eating catfish in the past, but I am less elegant and more impetuous.