Fish and Seafood

With thousands of miles of coastline and many more thousands of miles of rivers and lakes, China enjoys an abundance of fish and seafood. Chinese cuisine boasts a multitude of techniques to elevate the products of sea, lake, and river to the highest rank. A whole fish, steamed or braised, is the climactic dish of a multicourse banquet, served last with the head pointing toward the guest of honor.

Freshness is the most important consideration in selecting seafood. In Chinese fish markets, carp swim in aerated tanks, ready to be plucked from the water and rushed to a nearby kitchen to ensure the most delicate flavor. Crabs, kept alive until the last possible second before they are cooked, claw at each other in wooden bins. Young Chinese are taught to avoid eating crabs or lobsters that were not alive just before they were cooked. In Canton or Hong Kong, restaurant guests sometimes arrive with a catch of live shrimp for the chef to prepare to order.