How Northeastern Chinese Master Fish Cuisine: A Revelation to Southerners
You never know how amazing the fish in Northeast China can be.
Once on a business trip to Xiamen, I was dining with friends at a seaside restaurant. As I enjoyed the sea breeze and praised the simplicity and brilliance of "soy sauce water" dishes (a local method of cooking fish and seafood with soy sauce and water), a friend suddenly remarked: "You probably don’t get to eat much live fish in the Northeast, right? And there aren’t many good fish there either. Eat more while you can."
This wasn’t the first time I’d been asked a question like this.
Every time I see their pitying expressions, I pull up a chair beside them, open my phone’s photo album, and show them pictures of Yanbian’s pollock from Jilin—which can be made into dozens of different dishes like fish skin rice wraps, caviar, pollock roe soup, and spicy stir-fried fish offal—enough variety to eat for a month without repetition.
Image / Flavorful World by Anna Zhixian
This is pike sashimi from the Hezhen ethnic group in Fuyuan, Heilongjiang. Bet you didn’t know—it’s not just Guangdong that eats sashimi; the Northeast does too.
"Suriake," a traditional Hezhen dish of thinly sliced raw fish.
And then there’s the silver noodle fish from the Yalu River in Dandong, Liaoning—tender, translucent, and silvery-white, delicious when pan-fried with eggs.
Image / Visual China by Feng Xiaochu’s Recipes
Pufferfish and hairtail from the Liao River estuary in Panjin, Liaoning:
White stewed pufferfish, a famous geographical indication product of Panjin City.
Don’t think the Northeast only has black soil yielding rice and corn, or pine nuts and ginseng hidden in deep forests—we also have treasures in our waters!
When it comes to eating fish, no one should underestimate the Northeast.
Why can the Northeast be called a "land of water"?
Usually, when we talk about "water towns," we default to Jiangnan—the region south of the Yangtze River—with its abundant rainfall, numerous rivers and lakes, and its reputation as a land of fish and rice.
But in fact, Northeast China also has "boats filling the rivers and fish filling the holds," offering a different kind of water town charm.
Hezhen fishing village, with piles of salmon caught on the banks of the Wusuli River.
Liaoning in the Northeast borders the sea, and its silver noodle fish from Dandong, mackerel from Yingkou, anglerfish from Dalian, and hairtail from the Panjin estuary are no less impressive than those from southern coastal areas.
The region is rich in rivers—of China’s seven major river basins (Yangtze (including Taihu Lake), Yellow River, Pearl River, Huai River, Hai River, Liao River, and Songhua River), the Northeast alone claims two.
The sea in Liaoning is so vast, and its seafood so abundant, that one pot truly can’t hold it all.
The Songhua River is China's third-largest river by basin area, after the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. As a natural large freshwater fishing ground, it supplies over 40 million kilograms of fish annually, including carp, qing, sturgeon, and taimen.
The Liao River has always had a low profile, with a basin area of only 219,000 square kilometers. However, its fertile banks nurtured the brilliant Hongshan and Xiajiadian civilizations and produced the exceptionally flavorful Panjin rice. The river also boasts rich fish resources, with historical records showing up to 106 species in the Liao River basin.
Not only these two major rivers, but others like the Heilongjiang, Nenjiang, Ussuri, Yalu, Tumen, and Suifen Rivers—main streams and tributaries alike—all teem with excellent fish.
When asked why Northeast Chinese fish are so delicious, most people’s first thought is the cold climate, which naturally enhances the flavor of cold-water fish.
But that’s not the whole story. The killer feature of Northeast fish is: a pristine environment.
For example, the Heilongjiang, the main stream of the Songhua River, stretches 4,370 kilometers with a basin area of 1.84 million square kilometers. Except for sections flowing through cities and fields, the rest of the river—whether main stream or tributaries, left or right bank—is surrounded by vast, primeval forests roaring like the ocean. Perhaps only the frigid Northeast can preserve such wild and natural rivers, nurturing such delicious and diverse fish.
Northeast China has a wide variety of fish. Besides marine fish along Liaoning’s coast, a saying about the Heilongjiang basin illustrates the abundance: "Three Flowers, Five Luos, Eighteen Zis, and Seventy-two Miscellaneous Fish." The "Three Flowers" refer to mandarin fish, bream, and crucian carp; the "Five Luos" include taimen, farlo, yarlo, hulo, and tonglo; while "Eighteen Zis" and "Seventy-two Miscellaneous Fish" are approximate numbers for the sake of rhyme—there are actually more.
In the Northeast, it’s not just catfish stewed with eggplant that can "stuff the old man to death."
A Northeast saying goes, "Catfish stewed with eggplant stuffs the old man to death," highlighting the dish’s extreme deliciousness.
The essence of this dish lies in the catfish, the eggplant, and the stewing process.
The catfish must be mountain catfish from the Heilongjiang River, not the common pond-dwelling catfish. The mountain catfish’s real name is burbot, the only freshwater species in the cod family and a treasure among China’s cold-water fish. It’s found only in the Heilongjiang, Songhua, Ussuri, and Yalu Rivers in the Northeast, and the Irtysh River in Xinjiang. This fish is tender and flavorful, rich but not greasy. Stewed in an iron pot, the broth becomes savory and the meat delicate. Eggplant, with its superb ability to absorb flavors, soaks up the sauce and catfish’s aroma, making it so delicious you could eat three bowls of rice.
Besides iron pot stew, another common Northeast method is soybean paste stew. Fry scallions, garlic slices, and chili peppers in cool oil until fragrant, add soybean paste and stir-fry, then pour in hot water and fish. Cover and stew—let time do the rest.
Northeast home-style soybean paste stewed fish is juicy and flavorful.
Soybean paste stew isn’t picky about fish—species like mirror carp, flower loach, pike, and mandarin fish all work well.
But the star of soybean paste stew in Northeasterners’ hearts is the Amur minnow. This small, wild fish, unique to parts of Northeast China and Xinjiang, belongs to the Cyprinidae family. It has no intermuscular bones and offers delicate, tender meat. In summer and autumn, the minnow lives luxuriously in water, developing a large belly—called "milk bun" by locals. In winter, when food is scarce, its fat diminishes, making the meat firm and lean. Thus, winter is the best season to enjoy it.
In Harbin, Heilongjiang, there’s another stewed fish dish: Demoli stewed fish. "Demoli" isn’t a cooking method but a village in Yihantong Township, Fangzheng County. The name "Demoli" is a transliteration from Russian. The village borders the Songhua River, and locals traditionally made a living by fishing. They cooked their abundant, high-quality fish with tofu and wide vermicelli, creating a supremely tasty dish. In the early 1980s, improved transportation and population flow helped Demoli stewed fish gain fame in Harbin.
The essence of Demoli stewed fish lies in the vermicelli and tofu.
But if we’re talking about the most aromatic stewed fish, the winter-caught bighead carp from Chagan Lake might take the crown.
Chagan Lake, originally called Chagan Pao or Han River, is known in Mongolian as "Chagan Nur," meaning "white holy lake." Located in Qian Gorlos Mongolian Autonomous County, Songyuan City, Jilin Province, it’s one of Jilin’s famous freshwater lakes. It was once the "Nabo" (traveling palace) for Liao Dynasty emperors. Historical records note that emperors like Shengzong, Xingzong, and Daozong often visited Chagan Lake for spring hunting with officials and families.
Chagan Lake has vast, pollution-free waters. Especially in winter, bighead carp from the lake have firm flesh and high levels of umami amino acids like glutamic and glycine, making them delicious however cooked. So Northeasterners choose their specialty: stewing.
Does Northeast China only know how to stew big fish in an iron pot? Absolutely wrong.
But did you think Northeast China only knows how to stew fish? Wrong again!
Unless you go to Northeast China, you will never know how many ways there are to eat fish there.
Along the Heilongjiang, Songhua, and Wusuli Rivers in Northeast China, an ancient ethnic group known as the Hezhe people has lived for generations. This community makes a living by fishing year-round and naturally has many methods for preparing fish.
Hezhe-style raw fish salad "Talaka"
Here, just for raw fish, there are several ways to eat it: the mixed raw fish salad "Talaka," sashimi "Labuteka," shaved fish "Suriake," and marinated fish roe.
Traditional Hezhe delicacy: frozen pike slices.
The mixed raw fish salad "Talaka" and sashimi "Labuteka" emphasize freshness—only live fish are used. Shaved fish "Suriake" embodies the unique characteristics of Northeast winters. In Heilongjiang, temperatures often drop to -30°C in winter. Fish caught by fishermen freeze quickly. The frozen fish are skinned with a wooden knife and sliced as thinly as possible, resembling wood shavings—hence the name "shaved raw fish." It is eaten dipped in a specially prepared sauce, offering a cool, refreshing, and delightful taste.
Pike fish balls, marinated raw fish, and fish prepared in the style of "Guobaoyu" (a sweet and sour dish similar to锅包肉but with fish).
Of course, the Hezhe people today don’t only eat raw fish. If you travel to Fuyuan in Jiamusi and visit the Dongji Fish Market—the oldest and largest freshwater wild fish trading market in northern China—the shop owners might encourage you to buy a couple of fish and have them prepared at a nearby restaurant. With just two fish, you can enjoy Hezhe-style raw fish, as well as Northeast specialties like "Guobaoyu" and fish ball soup.
Now let’s turn to another ethnic minority in an extremely cold region: the Korean community at the foot of Changbai Mountain in Yanbian, Jilin. Yanbian is not a place abundant in fish, but the people here cherish one type of fish above all: the pollock.
The Korean ethnic group might be the best in the world at preparing pollock. In their hands, almost every part of the fish is edible—except for two small bean-sized bones behind the gills known as "Chenjiangshi." With just this one fish, they can create a hundred different dishes. The fish head can be used to make soup for rice, the body can be stewed, the roe can be made into sauce, the offal can be stir-fried with chili, and the skin can be fried or used to wrap rice...
Additionally, every household has dried pollock, which can be shredded and eaten with chili sauce, rehydrated to make cold dishes, or used in soups.
Moving a bit westward, in Dalai Lake of Hexigten Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, there is a fish called the "Huazi fish." This fish can only be caught in winter. The tradition of winter fishing at Dalai Lake was recognized in 2011 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Dalai Lake fish have tender, fine flesh that is fresh and not fishy. The most common local way to prepare them is pan-frying, with no additional seasonings needed—the original flavor is perfect as it is.
Pan-fried Huazi fish and stewed Huazi fish with sauce
Heading further south to Liaoning, not only can you find the fish dishes from Heilongjiang and Jilin, but thanks to its coastal advantage, the region also has another style of fish cuisine.
In Dandong’s Yalu River, there are noodle fish, which locals stir-fry with eggs or use in soups. In Yingkou, mackerel is commonly made into mackerel dumplings.
The richness of life is like a plate of plump, white mackerel dumplings;
The delicacy of both land and sea is embodied in Northeast China’s salted fish with cornbread.
In Dalian, anglerfish is sometimes made into stews, and other times flattened into fish fillets. Around Panjin at the mouth of the Liaohe River, there are precious knife fish and incredibly delicious pufferfish—so exceptional that after one taste, southerners would widen their eyes in amazement and exclaim, "So Northeast China really does have excellent fish!"
Winter has arrived, and the ice fishing season is about to begin. Come to Northeast China and enjoy the fish!
Article cover image | Tuchong Creativity