Saturday, November 10, 2018

A fish (fin 魚翅) tale

A bunch of professors from a local university in Hong Kong went to Xian to teach a class many years ago.  They went to a restaurant and found 魚翅 on the menu, at a very low price.  They wanted to make sure that it was really 魚翅.  So they inquired of the waiter whether it was really .  The waiter assured them the it really was  魚翅.  They were overjoyed, and ordered seven orders.  The waiter was incredulous, and wanted to be sure that they wanted to order seven orders.  They were sure.   This was what they got.  (I was not one of them).  

This really is 魚翅 fish fin.  Just not in the usual form that we Hong Kong people are familiar with.   For many of us,  魚翅  usually means shark fin soup.  

This fish fin is the “wings” of a ray, deep fried.  

You can find the raw material in some supermarkets, with the skin removed. 

You can also find them dead but still fresh, in wet markets.

To find the live specimens, you may have to go to the aquarium.  

This is actually quite good - tender, smooth and tasty. It is just not what many people expect.  





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