Fish-Head Casserole with Wine-Lees Broth 砂锅糟香鱼头
Fish-Head Casserole with Wine-Lees Broth is featured among the local specialties of Shanghai.
Wine-lees fish-head casserole (砂锅糟香鱼头) combines tender fish-head meat with a broth scented by fermented rice-wine lees. It is a hot soup-style dish associated with Shanghai cooking.
How it is prepared
Chef Zhu Haifeng's documented version browns a bighead-carp head and simmers it with stock and flavouring ingredients. Strained aromatic lees liquor is added for its fragrance; crab, Jinhua ham, bamboo shoot and mushroom enrich this particular recipe.
Flavour & texture
Look for a rounded savoury broth, a fermented-wine aroma and soft fish meat around the head. The word 糟香 describes the fragrance of the lees rather than a chilli-pickled or sweet-and-sour sauce.
Local context & naming
The chef demonstration records one restaurant interpretation of the dish. Fish species, extra seafood and the strength of the lees flavour vary; they should be checked when choosing a version.
Ordering this dish
Ask the fish species and the portion size: half a large head may already be a substantial shared dish. Check whether crab or other shellfish is included and whether the kitchen can explain the wine ingredients.
At the table
Use a separate plate for bones and serve the broth with a spoon. Take small pieces from the head carefully; a fish-head casserole is not a boneless fillet preparation.
Ingredients to check
Contains fish and fermented wine ingredients. The cited recipe also contains crab and pork ham; a hot cooked dish should not automatically be described as alcohol-free.
More dishes to compare
Explore related local specialties and compare their names, preparation notes and ordering guidance.
Steamed Shad 清蒸鲥鱼 →
Steamed shad (清蒸鲥鱼) presents the fish with gentle seasoning and its cooking juices. It appears in Shanghai restaurant cooking and the wider Jiangnan culinary tradition.
Pork-Offal Casserole with Wine Lees 糟钵头 →
Zao botou (糟钵头) is a Shanghai dish of pork offal slowly cooked and flavoured with aromatic wine lees. Its name refers to a savoury preparation rather than a grain pudding.
Questions before you order
Is 糟香鱼头 the same as 剁椒鱼头?
No. This entry is centred on aromatic wine-lees broth; 剁椒鱼头 is named for chopped pickled chillies. Read the full menu name to select the intended preparation.
Sources & reading
Identity and the described preparation checked against the linked sources on 9 September 2026. Named chef, maker and home recipes are documented examples, not universal restaurant specifications. Serving and ordering suggestions are editorial guidance. No recipe testing, exclusive origin, current availability or dietary certification is claimed.
Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.