Description
A highly popular grilled dish in Taiwanese taverns. The highly fatty 'fish jaw (collar)' of Taiwan Bream (Tilapia) is salt-grilled over charcoal until the skin is ultra-crispy.
Restaurants serving Grilled Fish Collar
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Taiwan Bream (Tilapia) collar
- Salt
- Lemon
- Pepper salt
- Wine
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Collar Prep] Prepare the 'Xia Ba (Collar: meat from under gills to pectoral fins)' of large fish like 'Taiwan Bream (Wu Guo Yu/Tilapia)', the most distributed fish in Taiwan (sold just as collars in markets).
- Ensure no scales remain, sprinkle salt and a little wine all over, leave
- mins to remove odor and excess moisture.
- Wipe moisture firmly with paper towels.
- [Grilling Secret] Place on a charcoal net (or fish broiler), grill 'skin-side' first.
- Collars contain massive fat; grill slowly and fragrantly until fat drips making smoke, and skin turns 'ultra-crispy' golden.
- Flip and grill meat side until browned.
- Plate, serve garnished with lemon wedges and Taiwan's special 'pepper salt (Jiao Yan Fen)'.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
White pepper and Five-spice aroma
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Yellowtail, Amberjack, or Sea Bream collars (available in Japanese supers)
Pairing
Ice-cold Taiwan Beer or Sake
Trivia
[For Adults] Positioned same as 'Grilled Yellowtail Collar' in Japanese taverns, but Taiwan mainly uses 'Taiwan Bream (Tilapia)'. The muddy smell typical of freshwater fish is completely erased by savory charcoal grilling and pepper salt punch, leaving only amazingly fluffy, juicy fat sweetness. The cheapest, ultimate beer thief.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Break the crispy skin with chopsticks, squeeze lemon over the 'gooey fatty meat' appearing from inside, dip lightly in pepper salt, and wash it down instantly with beer!
Allergen
Seafood