Fish Maw in Rich Yellow Broth 黄焖鱼肚
Fish Maw in Rich Yellow Broth is featured among the local specialties of Beijing.
Huangmen fish maw (黄焖鱼肚) is fish swim bladder cooked in a rich yellow broth. The Beijing version is valued for its soft texture and concentrated savoury sauce.
How it is prepared
Dried fish maw must first be prepared by soaking or oil expansion, depending on its type. Yellow-broth cookery then lets it take up the stock. A culinary-association example uses prepared maw with fish lip and dried scallop; that three-ingredient recipe illustrates the method, not a fixed recipe for every serving here.
Flavour & texture
Expect a soft, yielding ingredient carrying much of the broth's flavour. The dish is quite different from a plate of fish fillets, and the broth and the thickness of the maw influence the result.
Local context & naming
Beijing Tourism includes 黄焖鱼肚 among Beijing dishes and discusses it alongside yellow-braised shark fin. Fish maw and shark fin are different ingredients; their names should remain distinct when reading menus.
Ordering this dish
Confirm that the dish uses fish maw, which fish it comes from, and whether the quoted portion is individual or shared. Ask which ingredients give the broth its flavour.
At the table
Try a spoonful of the broth with a small piece of maw before adding any table seasoning. Plain rice can accompany a richer serving.
Ingredients to check
Contains fish. Stock and garnishes may introduce chicken, pork or shellfish, so check the complete preparation rather than treating it as a fish-only dish.
More dishes to compare
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Questions before you order
Does 鱼肚 mean fish belly or stomach?
In this dried-seafood dish it means the swim bladder, usually called fish maw in English. It does not refer to belly fillet or shark fin.
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.