宋嫂鱼羹 Song Sao Fish Soup (Hangzhou-Style Fish Chowder)

[Ho Kwok Leung]

宋嫂鱼羹
“宋嫂鱼羹”是南宋时的一种名菜，距今已有800多年的历史。据（宋）周密著的《武林旧事》记载：淳熙六年（公元1171年）3月15日，宋高宗赵构登御舟闲游西潮，命内侍买湖中龟鱼放生，宣唤中有一卖鱼羹的妇人叫宋五嫂，自称是东京（今开封）人，随驾到此，在西湖边以卖鱼羹为生。高宗吃了她做的鱼羹，十分赞赏，并念其年老，赐于金银绢匹。从此，声誉鹊起，富家巨室争相购食，宋嫂鱼羹也就成了驰誉京城的名肴。经历代厨师不断的研制提高。宋嫂鱼羹的配料更为精细讲究，制成的鱼羹色泽油亮，鲜嫩滑润，味似蟹肉，故有“赛蟹羹”之称，是闻名遐迩的杭州传统风味名菜。

食材
桂鱼1条约重600克。

配料：
熟火腿10克，
熟笋肉25克，
水发香菇25克，
鸡蛋黄3个。

调料：
葱结1个，
姜块1块，
葱段、葱丝、姜丝、胡椒粉各适量，
绍酒30克，
生抽25克，
精盐2.5克，
味精3克，
醋25克，
清汤250克，
湿淀粉30克，
熟猪油50克。

烹飪方法
1.桂鱼剖洗净，去头，沿背脊批取鱼肉两爿（去掉脊骨），鱼皮朝下放入盘中，加葱结，姜块，绍酒15克，精盐1克稍渍后，上蒸笼用旺火蒸熟（约5—6分钟）取出，去掉葱、姜、卤汁滗入碗中，鱼肉用竹筷拨碎，倒入原汁碗中。皮、骨捡去不用。
2.火腿、笋肉、香菇均切成长约1.5厘米的细丝，鸡蛋黄打散。
3.炒锅置旺火上烧热，下猪油15克，投入葱段煸至有香味，加入清汤，沸起后加绍酒15克，捞出葱段，放入笋丝、香菇丝，将鱼肉连同原汁落锅，加生抽、精盐，待汤沸起时加味精，用湿淀粉勾薄芡，淋入蛋黄液搅匀，再沸时加醋，浇入八成热的熟猪油，起锅盛入汤盆，撒上火腿丝及葱姜丝和胡椒粉（或随菜带上)。
【掌握关键】
1.选用刺少肉鲜的桂鱼或鲈鱼肉，蒸熟后要去净骨刺，剔取鱼肉尽量保持片状，不要太散碎。
2.勾芡时锅离火，均匀适度，不能出现疙瘩与粉块，下调料要按顺序，淋蛋液要慢，边淋边搅，形成蛋片状，增加色泽美观。


**Song Sao Fish Soup (Hangzhou-Style Fish Chowder)**
A renowned dish from the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279), "Song Sao Fish Soup" boasts a history of over 800 years. According to *Wu Lin Jiu Shi (Old Stories of Wulin)* by Zhou Mi (Song Dynasty), on March 15, 1171, Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhao Gou, sailed on West Lake and ordered his attendants to purchase fish for release. A fish chowder vendor named Song Wu Sao, who claimed to be from Dongjing (modern Kaifeng) and had followed the imperial court to Hangzhou, caught the emperor’s attention. After tasting her fish soup, the emperor praised it highly and rewarded her with gold, silver, and silk. The dish quickly gained fame among nobles and became a culinary icon of Hangzhou. Refined over generations, it now features delicate ingredients, a glossy texture, tender fish, and a crab-like flavor, earning it the nickname "Crab-Mimicking Chowder."

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### Ingredients
- 1 mandarin fish (approx. 600g)

**Additions**
- 10g cooked ham
- 25g cooked bamboo shoots
- 25g rehydrated shiitake mushrooms
- 3 egg yolks

**Seasonings**
- 1 scallion knot
- 1 piece ginger (approx. 3cm)
- Sliced scallion, ginger shreds, white pepper (to taste)
- 30g Shaoxing wine
- 25g light soy sauce
- 2.5g salt
- 3g MSG
- 25g vinegar
- 250g clear broth
- 30g cornstarch slurry
- 50g lard

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### Cooking Method
1. **Prepare the Fish**: Clean the mandarin fish, remove the head, and fillet along the backbone into two pieces (discard bones). Place skin-side down on a plate. Add scallion knot, ginger, 15g Shaoxing wine, and 1g salt. Marinate briefly, then steam over high heat for 5–6 minutes. Discard scallion, ginger, and bones. Shred the fish with chopsticks, reserving the juices.
2. **Prep Additions**: Cut ham, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms into 1.5cm shreds. Beat egg yolks.
3. **Cook the Soup**: Heat 15g lard in a wok over high heat. Fry scallion slices until fragrant. Add clear broth and bring to a boil. Discard scallion, add bamboo shoots, mushrooms, fish shreds, and reserved juices. Season with light soy sauce and salt. Simmer, then add MSG. Thicken with cornstarch slurry. Slowly drizzle in egg yolks while stirring to form ribbons. Add vinegar and remaining lard. Transfer to a tureen, top with ham shreds, ginger-scallion shreds, and pepper.

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### Key Tips
1. **Fish Selection**: Use boneless mandarin fish or sea bass. After steaming, remove all bones carefully to retain fish texture.
2. **Thickening**: Remove the wok from heat when thickening to avoid lumps. Add seasonings in order, and drizzle egg yolks slowly to create silky ribbons.

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