Song Shu Gui Yu (Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish)
Fish turn into squirrels!? The highest peak of sweet vinegar ankake glowing with artistic knife craftsmanship
Description
A world-famous banquet dish representing Suzhou, Jiangsu. A premium Mandarin fish is scored in a complex crosshatch pattern and deep-fried, causing the flesh to puff up like a squirrel's (Song Shu) bushy tail. It is drenched in a boiling hot, bright red sweet-sour ketchup glaze.
Restaurants serving Song Shu Gui Yu (Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish)
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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
- Mandarin fish(white fish)
- Potato starch
- Ketchup
- Sugar
- White vinegar
- Pine nuts
- Egg yolk
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Decapitate and debone a Mandarin fish, butterfly leaving skin intact.
- Score the flesh in a deep, fine crosshatch pattern without piercing the skin.
- Marinate with salt, wine, yolk; dust heavily with starch deep into the cuts.
- Hold the tail, invert the flesh outwards, and lower into 190°C oil.
- The cuts bloom, puffing up crispy like squirrel fur. Fry the head too.
- Reduce ketchup, white vinegar, sugar, and broth; add peas and pine nuts to make 'Tang Cu' sauce.
- Drizzle the boiling sauce over the hot fried fish, creating a loud sizzle.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Floral sweet-sourness of ketchup/vinegar and crispy batter、サクサクの衣
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Score JP white fish (sea bass/bream) crosshatch and fry with potato starch
Pairing
Jasmine Tea / Shaoxing Wine
Trivia
Legend says Emperor Qianlong visited Suzhou and demanded carp, but it was forbidden on that festival day. The chef used Mandarin fish instead, disguising it as a squirrel to avoid the Emperor's wrath.
Eating tips & etiquette
Enjoy the loud 'sizzle' (likened to a squirrel's squeak) when the hot sauce is poured. The outside is crispy, the inside fluffy. The sweet-sour sauce clings perfectly to the boneless meat.
Allergen
Seafood, Eggs, Wheat, Pine nuts