[Photo provided to wuxi.gov.cn]
Tapertail anchovy wonton is a celebrated seasonal dish, highly valued in spring for its delicate flavor and detailed craftsmanship. It is often called "a pearl among the fresh delicacies of the Yangtze River". This dish strictly adheres to seasonal availability, following the saying "No tapertail anchovy after Qingming Festival". Before Qingming, the bones are tender, and the flesh is at its best, making this ingredient especially prized.
How to prepare it?
The key to preparing the fish involves removing bones and making the filling. To eliminate the fine, dense bones from the fresh female knife fish, it is placed flat on pork rind and gently chopped with a knife, which causes the bones to embed into the rind and leaves behind a smooth, delicate fish paste. This refined filling combines the fish paste from early spring with tender rice grass shoots or fresh chives, mixed with egg white, minced ginger, cooking wine, and fish bone broth, finished with a hint of fragrant cooked bean oil.
The wonton wrappers are crafted with meticulous care, using high-quality Tangqiao flour kneaded with egg white and chicken stock. This method ensures they stay translucent and tender after prolonged boiling, while keeping their natural savory flavor. Once wrapped, the wontons look like tiny silver ingots, and when cooked, they shine like jade, with their delicate skins exposing the subtle green of the filling inside — delighting both the eyes and the palate.
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