Marinate Mandarin Fish，also known as Stinky Mandarin Fish 臭鳜鱼, is a traditional famous dish in Anhui Cuisine, belonging to the Huizhou Cuisine. It is as white as snow, as garlic cloves, and tastes smooth and tender. Because fish-meat is rich in protein, it gradually decomposes under the action of microorganisms, producing amines with a foul and fishy odor. Therefore, stinky mandarin fish will smell and eat fresh.
The best time to make Stinky Mandarin Fish is to ferment for 6-8 days, as there are many bacteria during the fermentation process. Special attention should be paid to cooking it thoroughly.
The production method is as follows: wash the marinated mandarin fish, fry it in oil until both sides are golden brown, and serve out; Add ginger, garlic and other ingredients to the pot and stir fry until fragrant. Then add bean paste and fry the fried mandarin fish. Soak in boiling water, add an appropriate amount of sugar, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add soy sauce and dark soy sauce to serve.
Marinate Mandarin Fish is started to be cooked in Huangshan of Anhui Province. It is said to have a history of more than 100 years. In the deep interior of China, there are no mandarin fish in the area of Huangshan. Every winter, merchants from Tongling and other places sell this kind of fish here.
To avoid spoilage, vendors put Mandarin fish in wooden barrels, stack each layer of fish on a bluestone slab, and sprinkle it with diluted salt water to marinate. Due to the long journey, the mandarin fish had a slight odor upon arrival. But after adding seasoning for cooking, the mandarin fish produces a special flavor that is not smelly, and becomes a local specialty food.