China · Chinese
Soy-braised fried fish (Shanghai xunyu)
A Jiangnan cold plate of fish pieces fried until crisp then soaked in a chilled sweet-savoury brine. Despite the name “xunyu”, this version involves no smoking. A transmitted Kongfu banquet menu lists xunyu among its “four-by-four” cold platters, but no Kongfu-specific method is recorded; this version follows a public Jiangnan reference as a home adaptation, not a historical original.
Public reference · Home adaptation A Kongfu banquet menu appears in published research on the mansion archives. One transmitted “presented to the Qianlong emperor” banquet places xunyu, stuffed shiitake, tiger-skin shepherd’s purse and oil-braised bamboo shoots together in its “four-by-four” cold platters, with salt-poached shrimp among them; such transmitted menus are introduced as “it is said” and carry no methods. This entry therefore keeps the Kongfu place in the menu while stating plainly that no Kongfu-specific process was found, and uses a public Jiangnan xunyu method (fried then brined, never smoked) as the reproducible version. Shanghainese xunyu is a New Year cold plate, with fish echoing “yú” for abundance. The Luoyang banquet version really is smoked and is documented as a separate entry; same name, not merged. Uses the middle section of carp. The second fry and the chilled brine are what keep the crust crisp. Rock-sugar amount and soaking time are editorial for 4. The Kongfu menu supplies the dish name and its place in the menu but no method, so the technique here comes from public Jiangnan xunyu material and has no Kongfu-specific correspondence; this is stated in the description and culture notes. Contains fish; soy sauces contain soy and wheat; rice wine contains alcohol. This version is fried then brined, not smoked. 中华书局上海聚珍：真正的“孔府宴”吃些什么（节选自《孔府文化研究》） — The Kongfu “four-by-four” cold platter groups xunyu, stuffed shiitake, tiger-skin shepherd’s purse and oil-braised bamboo shoots, with salt-poached shrimp in the first group; the transmitted menu is introduced as “it is said” and gives no methods. https://applet.10100.com/article/106509520 人民日报客户端：老上海熏鱼 — Complete Jiangnan xunyu method — fish selection, marinating, brine reduction, frying and cold-brine soaking. This is the source of the steps actually used here. https://www.peopleapp.com/rmharticle/30026338555 百度百科：江南传统熏鱼 — The xunyu / baoyu naming distinction and why the current marinate-fry-soak process omits smoking. https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E5%8D%97%E4%BC%A0%E7%BB%9F%E7%86%8F%E9%B1%BC/17050313 FDA: Food Allergies — Basis for declaring fish, soy and wheat allergens. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/food-allergies AI-generated illustration; not kitchen-tested.
Ingredients
- carp mid-section, head and tail removed500 g
- Shaoxing rice wine40 ml
- light soy sauce40 ml
- dark soy sauce10 ml
- rock sugar50 g
- star anise2 piece
- cassia bark2 g
- bay leaves2 piece
- ginger10 g
- scallion15 g
- cooking oil for frying500 ml
- water for the brine200 ml
Directions
- 1
Scrape off the dark membrane inside the fish belly (key for removing fishiness). Cut across the backbone into two-finger-wide slabs about 1 cm thick. Marinate 30 minutes with rice wine, a pinch of salt, ginger and scallion.
- 2
Boil water with light soy, dark soy, rock sugar, star anise, cassia and bay. Simmer 10–15 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the brine thickens slightly. Turn off, then **cool and chill completely** — the cold brine is essential.
- 3
Heat oil to about 180°C. Pat the fish dry and fry in batches over medium heat until golden and firm, about 3 minutes. Avoid frequent turning or the fish will break apart.
- 4
Raise the oil to about 210°C and refry for about 1 minute until the crust is deep brown and crisp. Drain.
- 5
Immediately plunge the hot fish into the ice-cold brine — it should hiss. Soak at least 20 minutes; overnight in the fridge gives deeper flavour.
- 6
Drain and plate; finish with sesame or scallion. Bring to room temperature before eating for the crispest crust.
Source: WorldBite · public-reference adaptation · Source-attributed editorial adaptation; AI illustration; not an authenticated original recipe.