Sister Song's Fish Broth
Express crab without using crab meat! The legendary fish soup from the Southern Sung Dynasty
Description
A legendary soup with over 800 years of history representing Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Steamed white fish is flaked and boiled in premium chicken broth with julienned shiitake and bamboo. Flavored with black vinegar and ginger and thickened, it creates the illusion of being 'premium crab soup'.
Restaurants serving Sister Song's Fish Broth
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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
- White fish
- Dried shiitake
- Bamboo shoots
- Jinhua ham
- Chicken broth
- Black vinegar
- Eggs
- Potato starch
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Steam fresh white fish with scallion, ginger, and wine until cooked.
- Meticulously remove skin/bones and flake the meat finely with chopsticks.
- Julienne dried shiitake, bamboo, and Jinhua ham hair-thin.
- Heat lard; fry scallion and ginger for aroma.
- Add flaked fish and julienned ingredients; flood with premium chicken broth.
- Season with soy, salt, and wine; simmer for minutes.
- Thicken smoothly with starch slurry.
- Drizzle in beaten eggs (extra yolks).
- [The Secret]: Right before killing the heat, add black vinegar and white pepper to extract a 'crab-like' flavor.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
The 'crab illusion' extracted by black vinegar and ginger、and the smooth viscosity
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Can be made with JP white fish (cod/bream), chicken broth, and black vinegar
Pairing
Longjing Tea / Alongside Hangzhou Dongpo Pork
Trivia
Named after 'Sister Song', who sold fish soup by West Lake in the Southern Song Dynasty. The Emperor tasted and praised it highly. Alongside West Lake Vinegar Fish, it is an imperial-level soup symbolizing Hangzhou's history and elegance.
Eating tips & etiquette
Sip with a spoon. The mellow acidity of black vinegar and ginger aroma pass through the nose, while flaked fish slides down the throat smoothly. Since Chinese eat crab with black vinegar and ginger, the brain is tricked into thinking it's premium crab meat.
Allergen
Seafood, Eggs, Soybeans, Wheat