Shayang Long Lake Steamed Fish Cake 沙洋长湖鱼糕

Shayang Long Lake Steamed Fish Cake (沙洋长湖鱼糕) is a steamed grass-carp cake from Shayang County (沙洋县) in Jingmen (荆门), Hubei, which lies along the shore of Long Lake (长湖). It is served sliced over glass noodles and capped with chicken gizzard.

How it is made

Minced grass carp is mixed with spring-onion and ginger juice, egg white and cooked lard, then stirred until the paste firms up. It is steamed, taken out and cut into slanting slices. The slices are laid in a large bowl lined with glass noodles and steamed again until hot, and cooked chicken gizzard is placed on top as a "hat" (戴帽).

Flavour and texture

The cake is fine and tender in the mouth, soft and springy, with a fish flavour that lingers.

Where it comes from

Shayang has plenty of freshwater fish, the people along the lake shore are known for their skill with fish dishes, and Shayang's grass-carp fish cake is widely known. Legend traces the dish to the court cuisine of the ancient state of Chu (楚国). It is still popular, and a local saying holds that there is no banquet without a cake, "无糕不成席". In 1998 Long Lake fish cake was recognised as a Hubei local speciality dish.