The Squirrel shaped Mandarin Fish

The Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, a typical traditional dish in;Suzhou, is highly appreciated by guests from home and abroad. Not only does it feature in the color and flavor, but also in the taste and shape. What is more, when the fried Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish is ready and pored steaming hot bittern, there will be a noise as the squirrel is cheeping. 

As a well-known traditional dish in Suzhou, it is regarded as the required dish in the banquets and feasts in the south area of the Yangtze River. It is recorded that when the Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty visited the south area of Yangtze River, the chef in the Songhelou Restaurant well satisfied him with the Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish. He carved on the boneless carp, covered yolk paste on it and fried it, then scattered some sweet and sour sauce on it. The dish shaped as a squirrel, tasted crisp and soft, sour and sweet.  The emperor felt very content to the dish, thus from then on it was widely spread and named as the Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish.

There are some notes we should take in the making of Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish. Firstly, fresh and alive mandarin fish should be chose so that the meat can well retain fresh and tender. Second, the cutting should be very good and delicate and make it shape as a squirrel. Thirdly, the sauce should be tasted both sweet and sour, making the fish tasty.