Yellow Croaker Fish in Sauce (Huang Yu Hong Shao / 黄鱼红烧)
Jiangnan and Shandong — East China Sea fishery
Large yellow croaker (da huang yu) is one of China's most prized fish — now severely overfished and extremely expensive. Wild yellow croaker from the East China Sea is a defining Jiangnan and Shandong ingredient. Typically red-braised or steamed whole; the golden, slightly oily flesh has a unique sweet-savoury flavour unlike any other fish. The wild variety is now so rare it appears mainly at premium banquets.