Freshwater fish are fish that live in freshwater environments with less than 3% salinity. According to statistics, there are nearly 3,000 species of fish in the mainland, of which there are about 1,000 species of freshwater fish. So, which freshwater fish taste great? The editor has compiled a list of the top ten delicious freshwater fish for your reference. These freshwater fish are: mandarin fish, pufferfish, catfish, billfish, knifefish, anchovy, sea bass, sturgeon, whitebait, yellow bone fish. These freshwater fish are not only delicious in meat, but also rich in a variety of nutrients, and also have a good health care effect on human health. You can choose the freshwater fish species that suits you according to your taste and needs.
1. Mandarin fish (tender and juicy/rich in aroma, recommended: squirrel mandarin fish / vinegar mandarin fish)
Mandarin fish is a carnivorous fish that lives in fresh water and has a fierce personality that feeds on other aquatic animals and fish. It is one of the most popular freshwater fish because its meat is tender and juicy, which is very delicious. After cooking, the mandarin fish gives off a rich aroma that can be smelled even from far away. Squirrel mandarin fish is a masterpiece, boneless mandarin fish cut pattern, marinated with seasoning, coated with egg yolk paste, fried in hot oil pan until cooked through, and finally poured in sweet and sour marinade, showing a rat shape, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sweet and sour. Stinky mandarin fish is one of the famous dishes of Hui cuisine, although it has a certain smell, but the meat is delicate, the taste is smooth and tender, mellow and delicious.
2. Puffer fish (firm and elastic / delicious meat, recommended: puffer fish sashimi/puffer fish soup)
Puffer fish is a delicious and nutritious freshwater edible fish known as the "crown of dishes". However, it should be noted that puffer fish contains highly toxic ovaries, liver, kidneys, eyes and blood, and if not handled properly or ingested, it may lead to poisoning or even death. Puffer fish is muscular and has very little fat, which gives it a unique taste of firmness and toughness. At the same time, it is rich in amino acids such as glutamic acid and glycine, which are also the source of its umami taste. In the food circle, there is often a saying that "if you don't eat pufferfish, you don't know the taste of fish, and if you eat pufferfish, you can't taste it", which shows the deliciousness of pufferfish. Puffer fish can be eaten raw, sliced into fish fillets, served with orange vinegar, spicy radish puree and spring onions, etc., fresh and beautiful, and elastic; Puffer fish soup is even more evocative.
3. Catfish (tender meat with less spines / fat and not greasy, recommended: braised catfish / steamed catfish with soy sauce)
Catfish, also known as tuanyu or fatty fish, are distributed in the Liao, Huaihe, Yangtze, Minjiang and Pearl River systems on the mainland, among which the Yangtze River system is the mainstay. Catfish has tender flesh, few spines, excellent taste, and is very delicious, with a protein content of 13.7% and a fat content of 4.7%, which is the best freshwater edible fish. In particular, its soft-edged belly and thick bladder are unique, and after drying, it becomes a translucent precious fish belly, with a thick rubber layer and pure taste. The "pen holder fish belly" produced by Hubei Shishou is even more famous. Catfish can be cooked in many different ways, steaming, boiling, braising and frying. Among them, braised catfish is a classic dish. The processed catfish is marinated first, then fried, then boiled with a sauce, put in the fried catfish pieces and simmered, add a little water starch to thicken, and when the soup is thick, it can be taken out of the pan, sprinkled with a little white sesame seeds to garnish more fragrantly.
4. Pipefish (tender and delicious/not fishy and slightly sweet, recommended: braised pipefish/yellow braised pipefish)
The pipefish, scientific name redfin catfish, is a species of fish in the family Cyprinidae, the genus Cyprinidae. Its meat is white and tender, delicious and delicious, and is deeply loved by consumers. In China, pipefish is widely distributed and has a taste far superior to freshwater fish such as crucian carp, carp, grass carp, blue carp, bream, silver carp and bighead carp, and is the best in freshwater cuisine. The best way to eat is braised pipefish. The marinated billfish is braised in the pot, and then the fish is dipped in a spicy and appetizing soup, so that the umami of the braised soup can be absorbed, so that the fish becomes tender and soft, without fishy smell, and spicy and rich, and the mouth is extremely delicious. For pipefish, fish below one and a half pounds have fine spines, if there are elderly or children at home, it is recommended to choose more than one and a half pounds of pipefish, so that it is most convenient to eat.
5. Knife fish (delicious meat/fat but not greasy, recommended: grilled knife fish / crispy knife fish)
Swordfish is one of the "three freshness of the Yangtze River", and every spring, swordfish will travel in groups and trace up the river to form a large-scale fish flood, which is the best time to use it. There is a farming proverb called "spring tide mist out of knifefish" because knifefish is one of the earliest seasonal fish in spring. The knife fish is narrow and long, and the side is thin, quite like a sharp knife, silvery-white, the flesh is tender, but it contains many fine hair-like bone spurs, the meat is delicious, fat but not greasy, and slightly fragrant. Knifefish is rich in protein and fat, especially the fat content is significantly higher than that of ordinary famous and excellent fish, and is a well-balanced freshwater fish with delicious taste and good for human health. Swordfish begin to harvest in mid-to-late March every year and peak around the Qingming Festival. After the Qingming Festival, the bones on the knife fish become harder, and the taste will become much rougher, so to taste the delicious knife fish, you must start before the Qingming Festival.
6. Anchovy (smooth taste / no need to scrape, recommended: steamed anchovies/wine-stuffed anchovies)
Anchovy is a delicious freshwater fish, and the most special thing is that there is no need to scrape the scales, because the scales are rich in fat, so eating it can make the taste smoother. Domestic anchovies are mainly distributed in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and from April to June in spring, anchovies migrate in groups to freshwater to spawn and reproduce, when the quality and taste of anchovy are good. Steaming is the traditional practice of anchovy, which ensures that the deliciousness of the anchovy is well preserved. In addition, sakelet-stuffed anchovy is also a unique practice. The flesh of the anchovy is tender and delicious, while its scales are rich in fat, and the fat fills the scales. This fish has the effect of nourishing the body. Paired with sweet wine and fine rice wine, the delicious fish flavor is maximized. In short, whether it is steamed or brewed, it is a very suitable way to cook anchovy.
7. Sea bass (tender and elastic meat/fishy smell is not heavy, recommended: steamed river bass / dry roasted river bass)
Sea bass is a delicious food fish that is divided into two types: sea bass and freshwater bass. Sea bass has a harder meat and a fishy taste, while freshwater sea bass is one of the most popular freshwater fish because of its tender meat and smooth taste. If you want steamed sea bass, it is recommended to choose freshwater sea bass, because its meat is very tender and easy to spread out during the steaming process, forming a "garlic clove" effect, the taste is more elastic and fragrant.
So, how to distinguish sea bass from freshwater bass? Sea bass are larger than freshwater bass and have many black dots scattered all over their bodies. In addition, its lower jaw is more prominent than the upper jaw, which is a bit like a "heavenly earth" feeling. Freshwater bass, on the other hand, is relatively small, mainly yellow-brown in color, and has a relatively normal mouth shape.
8. Sturgeon (fine and delicious meat / no bones and soft bones, recommended: steamed sturgeon / sturgeon head soup)
Sturgeon is one of the oldest vertebrates in existence and is also known as one of the tastiest freshwater fish in China. In particular, artificially bred Chinese sturgeon hybrids are favored by diners for their delicate meat quality and delicious taste. Although most of the sturgeon sold in the market is farmed, its nutritional value is comparable to that of wild sturgeon. Sturgeon meat is delicious, non-prickly and soft, and the content of fish bone collagen is extremely high, which has unique nutritional value.
Sturgeon can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as steamed, braised in a braised area, soup, and many more. Among them, steamed sturgeon is a classic dish with sturgeon, green onions and ginger as the main ingredients, which has a salty and fresh taste, which can maximize the umami taste of the sturgeon itself and the tender taste of the meat. It should be noted that the addition of too many seasonings can mask the unique flavor of the sturgeon. At the same time, sturgeon can also be made into meat jelly, which has a wonderful taste. In short, whether it is the nutrition of the ingredients or the wonderful taste, sturgeon is an unmissable delicacy and is known as the "water treasure of China".
9. Whitebait (tender and smooth / fine and delicious meat, recommended: whitebait omelette / crispy whitebait)
Whitebait is a delicious, calcium-rich, high-protein, low-fat fish also known as silverstripe or noodle fish. It has almost no large fish bones, making it perfect for small children. The whitebait is as slender as bamboo chopsticks, white as silver bars, transparent and smooth, and the fine bones inside can be seen slightly. Its tender meat and delicious taste make it one of the nutritious and delicious ingredients, whether it is made into fried whitebait or other dishes.
Pan-fried whitebait is a simple and nutritious dish, with unique ingredients and careful cooking to give it a salty, fresh and fragrant taste, which not only retains the tender and smooth meat quality of the whitebait, but also makes people have an endless aftertaste. Whitebait generally has a high yield in spring and autumn, is very small, can be eaten after cleaning, does not need to remove fins and bones, belongs to "integral food", rich in nutrients, helps to enhance human immune function and delay aging. In short, whitebait is a delicious and healthy ingredient that is an integral part of family recipes.
10. Yellow bone fish (tender meat / no fish bones, recommended: yellow bone fish stewed tofu / braised yellow bone fish)
Yellow bone fish is one of the ten most delicious freshwater fish species in China and is loved for its tender flesh and no fish bones. Yellow bone fish is an omnivorous freshwater fish, often living in the shallow waters around lakes and rivers with slow-flowing aquatic grasses, and is a very common species of freshwater fish. Generally speaking, the cooking method of yellow bone fish is mainly stew, which can be cooked with tofu, sauerkraut, tomato and other ingredients, and add an appropriate amount of rice wine, ginger and salt. It is best to use a heat to cook, so that the sour soup will become more delicious the more you cook, and the soup will become richer and richer. The boiled yellow bone fish is tender and delicious, making it delicious. Many Guizhou people love this kind of sour soup, and there is a saying that "Guizhou does not eat acid for three days, walking and skewers".
In short, as one of the best freshwater fish in China, yellow bone fish is not only delicious, but also nutritious. Its unique taste and healthy nutritional value make it suitable for daily consumption at home and an indispensable dish at banquets for various occasions.
The ranking of ten delicious freshwater fish in China is summarized by Xiaobian based on the taste, characteristics, quality, public popularity, honors and other relevant information of mainland freshwater fish, and comprehensively refers to the relevant ranking lists of the Internet. The list is for reference only, if in doubt, please feel free to comment/communicate at the end.