Editor's Note:  This article is produced in collaboration with the Chongqing Institute of Foreign Studies as part of a series of ongoing reports exploring the city's abundant resources in intangible cultural heritages.

Chongqing, a mountain city, is humid due to its unique geographical location, making the locals love to eat spicy food. The two most famous types of Chongqing cuisine are the traditional Sichuan-Chongqing cuisine and the innovative dishes of the ordinary people known as "Jianghu Cuisine." (Jianghu in Chinese means heroic and bold atmosphere)

Tai'an Fish (Photo provided to iChongqing)

Jianghu cuisine originated from roadside stalls and small restaurants. The chefs adopted cooking methods without being restricted by usual ways—already existing dishes cooked in a new way or Chinese dishes cooked in a western way. And in constant trials and errors, they developed one unforgettable delicious dish after another. Taking Tai'an Fish as an example, it came from Tai'an Town, Tongnan County in Chongqing, according to research. Once, the passing drivers tasted it and found the fish, which was cooked in a special, fresh, and natural way. After that, it was known by more and more people and passed down from generation to generation.

Jianghu cuisine seems rough and bold, but sometimes it's also particular about the materials. Like preparing Tai'an fish, firstly, there is a certain standard when choosing the fish—tending to pick a spotted silver carp with more meat and fewer bones. And this kind of fish is one common freshwater fish in Guangdong province. Its whole body is black and white. It is a good material for making Tai'an Fish because it has tender meat and a short growth cycle.

Tai'an Fish (Photo provided to iChongqing)

The production of Tai'an fish also pays more attention to skills, so you need to be patient enough if you want to cook authentic Tai'an Fish. People also give Tai'an Fish another name, Tuotuo Fish (fishes in small cubes in English), because the first step of cooking is to cut the fish into small lumps. Then put them into the egg white and sweet potato flour bowl. After each piece of fish is fully coated with flour, fry them in hot oil. This can lock the tenderness of fish for the first time and make the fish and flour bond fully without being cooked apart. Don't dish up until the fish is shaped. The next step can best reflect the flavor of Tai'an Fish. When the oil in the wok gets hot, add a lot of spices and seasonings, which fill the kitchen with well-spiced smells.

It's said that the simplest way to judge an authentic Jianghu cuisine is by observing whether the chief adds hands of chilis and spices into the wok when cooking. Although it can't be told whether true or not, this shows the extreme numb-spicy characteristics of Chongqing Jianghu cuisine. After all the seasonings are fully fried, add water and secretly-made sauces. Then simmer the fried fish, the prepared konjac, pickles, and other materials, which helps the flavor of seasonings penetrate the fish completely. Take off the flame after the fish is cooked thoroughly, and then add a tablespoon of vinegar to cleanse the palate. That's how Tai'an Fish is cooked.

Tai'an fish with konjac (Photo provided to iChongqing)

Not only do the cooking skills of Tai'an Fish embody the atmosphere of Jianghu, but the form of serving also shows the boldness of Jianghu cuisine—serving fish on large plates and soup in large bowls. The smell of the spicy and fresh fish soup gives you an appetite. Pick up the fish in the soup and then have a gentle bite, infusing your mouth with the tenderness and numbness caused by the spicy taste on your tongue.

Tai'an fish collects numbness, spicy taste, tenderness, freshness, and other taste experiences into one. It not only gives diners a taste impact but also exposes them to Chongqing Jianghu cuisine's features. As a typical representative of Chongqing food culture, the techniques of cooking Tai'an Fish were selected for the 2nd batch of Chongqing's municipal intangible cultural heritage list in 2009.

Chinese script: Huang Caiting
Tutored by: Jing Xi

Translation: Feng Lei
Tutored by: Wei Jingjun   Liu Yuting

Voice-over: Wang Xin
Tutored by: Ren Yi