Tonglu Food Story

Text/Chen Honghua

When it comes to grouper, I have to talk about how I met it.

In the early 1990s, a Mr. Chen graduated from college and was assigned to teach in Lingyuan Township at the junction of three counties in northern Zhejiang.

The school is located on a hillside and is a central school with a nine-year system. There is a small river at the foot of the ridge, which the villagers call "Houxi".

The stream flows from the intersection of Maoyuan and Hongping to Huangshan Village, and then flows down the mountain ravines until it reaches Lingyuan Village. The river surface is wide, the stream is gurgling, and swimming fish and gravel can be clearly seen.

Mr. Chen was in his early 20s and had never been to such a remote mountain village, but the natural simplicity here attracted him. The children are innocent and kind, just like the clear and pure water of "Back Creek", which makes him happy.

In my spare time, apart from playing ball with the children, I also go to the river to bathe and fish. The interesting experience of catching grouper for the first time is something he will never forget.

Passing through the narrow mountain road and trees and grass at Panjia Electric Station is Waima Creek.

The large rocks connected together appear particularly refreshing after being washed by the stream. And the stream water is spotless and as clear as a mirror. Take a sip, it's cool and delicious. Bare feet in the water, cool and comfortable.

The children camped in groups and set up pot racks by the river. Those who collect firewood, those who wash vegetables, and those who ladle water are all busy.

"Teacher, let's catch grouper!" Several boys called him.

"There are a lot of groupers," said Little Guitou, "let's build a dam with rocks and catch the fish later."

I can really catch groupers. ? Mr. Chen was doubtful.

Several children rolled up their trousers and went into the water to touch the stone dam. Soon, a "V" shaped small dam was formed.

Then pick up a wooden stick from anywhere to catch the fish. A group of children had a stream flowing at their feet. They held wooden sticks in their hands and kept inserting them into the cracks between the stones, hitting the water surface and shouting something enthusiastically.

"Yes, yes," not long after, the other side shouted, "Teacher, teacher, come and see, there are a few swimming over."

Sure enough, several of them entered the stone. Dam. They swim gracefully and keep swinging from side to side. She looks lively and beautiful, but she has no idea that she is in an urn.

Catch a few and look at them. They are small in size, plump and fleshy, with dark green bodies and shallow abdomens. They are very cute.

"Eat it grilled, it's fragrant and fresh."

"Broil it in braised sauce, my mother cooks it deliciously."

"Eat it how you want. It doesn’t matter, there are a lot of them anyway.”

The children skillfully cut off the fish from the tail to the head, fished out the fish, and put the whole fish into the stream to wash it.

Boil the vegetable oil first, pour some ginger into the pot, then add the grouper one by one and fry, turn over one by one, fry until brown, then add some old wine, garlic, and chili, Make sure it is salty, cover the pot and simmer until the flavor is absorbed. A plate of fresh braised grouper comes out of the oven.

A few naughty children also built a tree branch stand to grill and eat.

Braised and grilled, I ate them all and felt full. Eat the taste and remember it.

"The grouper is so fresh!" Mr. Chen praised sincerely and gave the children a thumbs up.

Grouper was originally the local name. Different from the large grouper in the sea, this kind of fish is scientifically called light lip fish and is a cold water fish. It usually lives in the crevices of rocks in streams, ditches or at the bottom of deep pools in mountainous areas in the south.

Later, Mr. Chen learned from the villagers: Grouper grows slowly, is small, and has extremely high requirements for water quality. It can only survive in clear, transparent and pollution-free water, and cannot be raised artificially. Due to environmental pollution or damage by electric fish and medicinal fish, the number of this fish is decreasing year by year.

The waters of Max River outside Lingyuan and Yao River in Hecun merge into Shengxianli, forming the boundary of Hecun Township. There are pristine natural scenery here, the water quality is particularly pure, and with the protective measures in the countryside, there are naturally more groupers.

This kind of wild grouper that grows in streams is a purely natural food. It has more meat, fewer spines and is tender and delicious. It has gradually become a delicacy on the dining tables in mountain villages. .

“The grouper in Shengxianli is really fresh.” There is a couple who rush back to their hometown Linqi from Hangzhou on weekends. They have to take a break at Shengxianli and order braised grouper. , order two plates each time.

On days when grouper is available, it tastes naturally delicious.

By the way, Mr. Chen is me, and I endorse the braised grouper at Tonglu Food~~Hecun Shengxianli.