What it is
熏鱼 (xūn yú) is the cold starter you find on almost every Shanghai table. Despite the name it isn’t smoked: thick slices of fish are fried until the edges turn crisp, then soaked while hot in a dark, sweet-savoury marinade of soy, sugar and Shaoxing wine, so the flavour goes right through.
How it tastes
Sticky, glossy and sweet-salty, with a chewy-crisp edge and soft flesh inside. It is served cool or at room temperature, the way Shanghai families serve it at New Year. Ours is cooked on the bone, so eat it slowly.
How to order it
Order it first, as a starter while the hot dishes are cooked. It goes well with scallion-oil chicken and the osmanthus lotus root for a classic Shanghai cold-plate trio.
