Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish

　　The Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, a typical traditional dish in Suzhou, is highly appreciated by guests from home and abroad. Not only does it feature in the color and flavor, but also in the taste and shape.

　　There are some notes we should take in the making of Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish. Firstly, fresh and alive mandarin fish should be chose so that the meat can well retain fresh and tender. Second, the cutting should be very good and delicate and make it shape as a squirrel. Thirdly, the sauce should be tasted both sweet and sour, making the fish tasty.

　　When fried fish is served on table, it usually come with hot sauce, while dropping the sauce down on the fish, the fish turn out loud noise similar to that of a squirrel, thus caught the name.

　　When the dish is ready, it is in the shape of a squirrel with crispy skin outside but with tender flesh inside, the color is orange but taste in appropriate sweet and sour with a special pleasant flavor.

　　It is said before emperor Qianlong went to south of China, there had been the famous Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish already, but at that time, it was made not by mandarin fish, but by carp. Emperor Qianlong tried and appraised. Later on, this dish turned into the Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish.

　　It is said, when emperor Qianlong went to south of China, he once visited Songhelou Restaurant, and saw many mandarin fish and wished to have a try. At that time, the fish was prepared for worshipping the god and no one dared to eat it, but it was hard to be against the order from emperor, through discussion with chef, finally, the fish head was taken as squirrel, for avoiding the crime of taking “fish for the god”. When the fish was served, accompanied with the loud sound from dropping sauce on the fish, it was similar with that of squirrel. The inch- length squirrel hold up head and tail in the plate, the body of fish was spineless, carved with knife, after hot-oil fried, then dropped tomato sauce, in appropriate sweet and sour, crispy outside, but tender inside, when bite, very tasty. After Emperor Qianlong tasted , and appraised it a lot.

　　Another story is when emperor Qianlong travelled to south of China, he visited Suzhou unofficially. Suddenly felt Hungary, he enter a restaurant with name Songhelou. He saw the dish name “Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish” in the menu and ordered this dish. When it was served, because emperor Qianlong felt Hungary after half-day walking, additionally the dish was really crispy outside and tender inside, taste in appropriate sweet and sour, the emperor Qianlong felt rather satisfied after tasting it. After dinner, because emperor Qianlong knew nothing about money and payment, and tried to leave without paying. The servant in Songhelou did not know the real identity of emperor and stopped him from leaving. When they had a quarrel, the local government was patrolling on the street and saw the funny scene. And sent the owner of restaurant money and settled the dispute.