APRIL and May are the months when freshwater fish, shrimps, clam, snails and various crustaceans are in their prime - their flavor and texture are the most appetizing in this season - and eating freshwater cuisine is a tradition in China.

April is the month when freshwater fish prepare to spawn but haven't yet laid eggs; it's also the time when various fish end their winter retreat and start swimming actively. Some saltwater fish move to fresh waters.

"Most of the fish now are energetic, filled with nutrition. Active swimming builds muscle, which has firm yet tender texture and mild flavor," says Wade Wei, the executive sous chef at Gui Hua Lou restaurant, Pudong Shangri-La.

China, especially the east and south are rich in freshwater resources, from rivers and streams to small ponds and lakes. There is also aquatic farming in many areas, but fresh fish in the wild is much more expensive than farmed fish.

Taihu Lake in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces and Dongting Lake in Hunan Province, together with the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River are three main areas producing aquatic animals and plants and each has a specialty.

Chef Wei prefers fish from the Yangtze River. "Compared with inland lakes, the river has swifter water flow, which stimulates fish activity and improves the texture of the flesh."

Freshwater food a Chinese specialty

Fresh water aquatic animals and plants are especially popular in China, less so in the West where seafood tends to dominate.

"To some extent, Chinese and Westerners have different understandings of freshwater food," says Gianluca Serafin, chef de cuisine at Palladio, The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai.

Chef Serafin says that in the West, freshwater fish is mostly seen as a cheap ingredient with an unpleasant earthy taste and too many small bones. Then he hasn't tasted trout or bass.

In China, freshwater aquatic animals are seasonal ingredients. Some river fish, notably the endangered (over-fished) daoyu, or knife fish, is a kind of coilia ectenes. Chinese people consider the fish "noble" because of its exorbitant price.

A knife fish can cost as much as 1,000 yuan (US$158) for a 20cm specimen. Prices have hit a record this year. This month, the price of daoyu reached a historically high of 8,000 yuan (US$1,270) for 500g.

Also famous and costly is hetun (literally "river hog"), or puffer fish. If not properly prepared and its poisonous innards not removed, it is deadly.

"Chinese culture appreciates bones in the fish," says Chef Serafin. "They love to trim the bones and meat slowly from the fish, while Westerners see deboning as a complex and risky job."

In terms of cooking, Chinese spices and sauce such as Chinese vinegar, spring onions, ginger and rice wine complement most freshwater food, removing any earthy and fishy taste and bringing out their delicate flavor, according to Chef Wei.

Chef Serafin says it's possible for fresh water fish to become more popular in Western dining.

"On one hand, over-fishing of seafood is a major problem influencing the marine ecology; on the other, there are plenty of fresh water fish with the potential of being quality ingredients; this can be achieved through more culinary communication between Eastern and Western chefs," he says.

From the aspect of health, everyone should eat more freshwater food, according to Kevin Fu, a registered dietitian in Shanghai who mainly works as a health and nutrition consultant.

"Compared with meat, fish and shrimp have higher protein content and less fat. Most of the aquatic products available in the Shanghai market are artificially fed. Some of China's offshore areas used for raising fish are seriously polluted, which may result in some harmful substances occurring in domestic seafood. But pollution of fresh water is still under control," Fu says.

Diverse views

Freshwater fish is common in Chinese regional cuisines and there are many views on how best to cook it.

"The simpler the better," says Chen Hua, the head chef at Club Jin Mao, Grand Hyatt Shanghai, a representative of Shanghainese and Cantonese chefs sharing the same view.

"For high-quality freshwater fish or shrimp distinguished by their less earthy taste and delicate texture, steaming it simply with spring onion, ginger and a little salt is enough. It's not even necessary to add Chinese wine to remove the fishy taste," Chef Chen explains.

Chef Wei says that for fish with a firm texture and somewhat earthy taste such as huiyu (also called Yangtze herring, a kind of longirostris considered a specialty in Yangtze River), braising it with soy sauce and seasoning with Chinese chili is recommended.

But fish with a naturally tender and silky texture are usually filled with bones, such as daoyu, and steaming is the best way to preserve the flavor, he says.

However, two chefs both recommend readers make river fish into soup at home since it's simple, tasty and healthy. Chinese tofu is added to improve flavor.

Gourmet's choice

In General, Chinese choose fish and shrimp produced nearby to ensure freshness. They choose luyu, a kind of weever from Dianshan Lake, Shanghai's Qingpu District; bianyu, known as white Amur bream, a kind of cyprinid fish (like carp and minnows) and baimixia, a kind of small white river shrimp from Taihu Lake; jiyu, a kind of carp; and luosi, a kind of snail from Yangcheng Lake.

But gourmands go for upscale fish. They look for daoyu, the most expensive fish this season, as well as hetun, also called fugu (in Japan) or puffer fish, famed as the tastiest and deadliest fish in Asia.

Daoyu is a seasonal wild bony fish only available in the market for around 15 days before the Qingming Festival. Prices are high because the fish is rare, sought after for its tender texture and delicate flavor.

Hetun has a puffy appearance, tender, creamy texture and contains deadly poison tetrodotoxin in its liver, intestines, ovaries and other organs. These must be carefully removed by skilled chefs so the meat is not contaminated.

Eating hetun is prohibited in China, but some restaurants in Shanghai serve the dish secretly to special customers. The chef usually takes the first bite in front of customers to demonstrate it is safe.

An ancient Chinese saying praises the fish: "Hetun is a delicacy worth tasting, even at the cost of life."

Every year in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces there are some cases of hetun poisoning.

The fish is usually made into creamy, rich-flavored soup.

Chef Wei explains what's so special about the taste of daoyu and hetun - both are saltwater species that spawn in freshwater areas. "Hence, their meat has both the inherent taste of seafood, creamy and sweet, as well as the tender texture and mild taste of freshwater fish."

Here are six seasonal and classic freshwater dishes in Shanghai.

Salted baimixia (white shrimp)

Baimixia, a small white shrimp living only in Taihu Lake, has a soft white shell and tender and sweet meat.

Based on traditional Jiangnan (region south of the Yangtze River) cooking style, the shrimp is boiled with a little salt and Chef Chen adds a little high-quality Moutai, a famous baijiu known for its mild taste and soy-like aroma. He also adds a little Chinese pepper for fragrance.

We recommend Westerners try the dish in the authentic way, removing the shell by themselves and getting out the sweet meat, which is dipped in the remaining liquid.

Steamed baishuiyu (white freshwater fish)

The steamed dish represents Chef Chen's philosophy of cooking freshwater fish, "the simpler, the better."

Baishuiyu, one of the most famous specialties of Taihu Lake, is known for its fine meat texture, bony body and lack of that earthy taste. Chef Chen simply uses some salt, spring onion and ginger to give the fish more fragrance so diners can appreciate the natural flavor. The fish has a pleasing silky texture brought out by the precise heating and timing of the steaming process. Chef recommends pairing the dish with Chinese baijiu, distilled liquor made of rice or other grains, while the chilled grassy Sauvignon Blanc, crisp and refreshing, also complements the fish.

Braised tangliyu (carp) with vinegar and black pepper

This is Chef Chen's new creation, inspired by a classical dish called braised guiyu (mandarin fish) with vinegar and pepper. The chef adds his "secret seasoning" douchi, a fermented black bean with a pungent smell. It adds more flavors and a nutty taste. The chef removes all the bones and skin so the fish better absorbs the flavor of the spices and diners don't have to struggle with bones.

Where to order:

Club Jin Mao, Grand Hyatt Shanghai

Tel: 5047-1234

Address: 86/F, Jin Mao Tower, 88 Century Ave

Braised huiyu (Yangtze herring ) with bamboo shoots

This is one of 10 new signature dishes launched last week by Chef Wei featuring ingredients from the Yangtze River.

Both huiyu (longirostric, known as Yangtze herring with firm, tender texture) and bamboo shoots are famous Yangtze River specialities. In April, the fish becomes particularly fatty and tasty while bamboo shoots this season have a crisp texture and pleasing fragrance.

Gourmands appreciate the fish skin because it's oily, elastic and filled with collagen this season. The light bamboo shoots absorb the fish flavor and balance the fattiness of the skin.

River clam soup with preserved pork

There's another Chinese saying, "If you drink river clam soup in spring, you will never suffer from heat rash or mouth sores in summer."

According to traditional Chinese medicine, river clams are yin (cold energy) in nature, which is said to clear away unhealthy internal heat and fire. In spring when the river temperature is warm, the clams are relatively cleaner and contain little sand. Its meat is also much firmer and sweeter than in other seasons.

Preserved pork is frequently paired with river clams since its savory taste and rich meaty flavor bring out the sweetness of the clam meat.

Chef Wei adds different seasonal greens into the soup, adding more textures and flavors.

Where to order:

Gui Hua Lou restaurant, Pudong Shangri-La

Tel: 6882-8888 ext 220

Address: 1/F, 33 Fucheng Rd

Stir-fried luosi (river snails)

River snails or Chinese mystery snails are called luosi, (cipangopaludina), with a green shell and white meat. They are extremely popular in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

There's a saying that the nutrition from eating luosi this season is more than eating a goose.

This is a bit of an exaggeration, but the snail in springtime is fat, sweet and rich in protein.

Since the snail itself is juicy, tender and has rich natural flavors, the cook usually cooks it simply, stir-frying with chili and spring onions.

It's typically served with a glass of warm yellow wine or chilled beer in restaurants, but there's nothing like eating a bowl of luosi freshly caught and cooked on a boat in Yangcheng Lake or Taihu Lake. Fishermen specialize in preparing the snails for travelers.

Where to order:

Yaoyao Xiewang restaurant

Tel: 5386-1522

Address: 237 Julu Rd

Chinese sayings about freshwater fish



If you drink river clam soup in spring, you will never suffer from heat rash or mouth sores in summer.



Eating snails in spring is more nutritious than eating a goose.



Puffer fish (poisonous, banned hetun) is a delicacy worth tasting, even at the cost of life.