Home cooking beside Erhai
Shuanglang’s Bai fishing heritage gives fish a central place at the table. For a homely meal, ask your guesthouse whether it offers shared lunches or dinners, what dishes are available and when to join. Meals can be a relaxed way to experience lakeside cooking.
The all-fish banquet
An all-fish banquet brings together contrasting textures and cooking styles: sour-and-spicy crucian carp, gently simmered fish, red-braised carp, crisp fish head, steamed preserved fish, fish jelly and fried silverfish. Other preparations pair small fish with tofu or steam fish with rice flour. Choose dishes to share rather than expecting every restaurant to serve a fixed twelve-course menu.
Sour-and-spicy fish
This warming dish combines fish with dark plums and chilli for a distinctly sour-and-spicy broth. Potato or radish slices absorb the flavour. Recipes vary between households and restaurants, making it a rewarding dish to try around the lake.
Yuzha: preserved fish
Yuzha is a preserved-fish speciality seasoned with chilli, Sichuan pepper and baijiu. Steamed preserved fish is associated with festive meals and visits from relatives and friends. Look for it as part of a cooked meal to explore another side of Bai food culture.
Silverfish fried with eggs and starch
Silverfish mixed with eggs, starch and seasoning are fried until golden. The delicate fish and lightly crisp texture offer a contrast to the stronger flavours of sour-and-spicy fish. Share several dishes to sample different styles of lakeside cooking.
