In China's coastal cities, many seafood ingredients are confusing, and marine fish with similar appearances are more likely to be confused. In Taishan, Guangdong Province, locals subdivide the mudskippers commonly found on the beach into different species such as mud fish and fur seals. Once cooked into a dish, these ingredients are instantly appetizing.
It is understood that the mud fish referred to by the Taishan people is actually a large mudskipper, also known as jumping fish, field stream (willow) fish, like to inhabit the brackish waters of the estuary, near the shore mud or the low-tide area of the bottom mud. The breeding period of mudfish is from April to September each year, and the peak period is from May to July, and its growth rate is slower, and it generally takes 1 to 2 years from seedling to adult fish.
"In the past, when catching the sea, a fishing basket and a fishing rod could catch mud fish. The hook tied to the fishing line on the fishing rod is specially made, without any bait, just throw the fishing line accurately, drop the hook on the side of the mud fish, quickly pull, and rely on the inertia of the fish hook dragging on the mud surface when the rod is quickly closed, and hook the mud fish from the mud. An old fisherman in Wencun Town told reporters that fishing for mud fish relies on eyesight, experience and kung fu in hand.
Later, everyone found that the mud fish had the habit of drilling caves, so they tried to weave a thin bamboo basket with soft and tough thin bamboo grates to trap mud fish, and when the tide revealed a large area of mud fish, they went to the cage, and collected the cage every hour or so, and only needed to pour the mud fish that had mistakenly entered the cage into the fish basket when closing the cage.
"Now the purchase price of mud fish is about 90 yuan per kilogram, and today these mud fish just delivered are all caught from the mangrove beach along the coast of Taishan, and each one is round and beepy, fat enough." Luo Yayang, manager of Taicheng Fulinmen Restaurant, introduced that the most common cooking method of the restaurant is mud fish pot winter melon, fried stewed mud fish, etc., because the mud fish has more meat and less bones, it is not troublesome to eat, which is sought after by many local diners.
Also sought after is another similarly sized mudskipper, known locally as the "fur seal", which is actually a green mudskipper, also known as a long-waisted fur seal and mud dog. Its living habits and growth environment are very similar to those of mud fish. Unlike mud fish, fur seals do not have colorful spots on the surface of their skin, and some have small black spots.
"Fur seals are not often sold, and at present, there is no breeding of fur seals in the Taishan area, and the fur seals captured in the coastal area of Taishan should be wild." Recently, the price is about 150 yuan per kilogram, and when the volume of goods is large, the price can drop to 90 yuan per kilogram. Although the meat of fur seals is less than that of mud fish, some Taishan people who are familiar with and like the ingredients of fur seals want to buy some and cook them when they see some goods. Mai Quanzhang, the person in charge of a fish stall in Taicheng Fucheng Market, told reporters.
When the reporter recently dined at the Taicheng Dexin YuanzaiBing Hotel, he found that the basket in front of the seafood pond at the door was filled with mud fish and fur seals. According to the manager of the restaurant responsible for helping guests order, fried braised fur seals are the most authentic cooking method in Taishan, if fried well, it is more delicious than fried mud fish, and the fried fur seal fish bones are soft and soft, and can be chewed together with fish, which is a more common appetizer on the local table.
With the expansion and protection of mangroves along the coast of Taishan in recent years, the small seafood growing in mangroves and tidal flats has become more and more abundant, and more and more good ingredients such as mud fish and fur seals have entered thousands of households through the hands of fishermen who are diligent in sea farming, and have been cooked into dishes to present on the table of Taishan people in all seasons, and the familiar taste has long formed a hometown taste that makes the wanderers miss. (Source: China News Network)