At the table
Take small bites of fish with the cake. Separate flesh from the backbone and fine bones; do not assume dried fish is boneless. The cake is a separate accompaniment, not a fish filling.
Ask which fish is used, whether it is steamed or fried and whether the cakes contain wheat, soy flour, milk or egg. This version uses plain cornmeal cakes.
Salted-dried fish served with corn cakes. The fish can be steamed or pan-fried; the illustration shows a browned, pan-fried serving.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Salted-dried fish served with corn cakes. The fish can be steamed or pan-fried; the illustration shows a browned, pan-fried serving.
Typical ingredients
In some versions
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Concentrated salty fish and mild corn sweetness.
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Firm fibrous fish and coarse dense corn cakes.
- How it’s made
- One plain preparation: Salt and partly air-dry the cleaned fish, cut into pieces and steam without added seasonings. Mix cornmeal with water, shape cakes and cook against the hot inner wall of a covered iron pot as the fish steams. Salted-dried fish served with corn cakes. The fish can be steamed or pan-fried; the illustration shows a browned, pan-fried serving.
Salted-dried fish served with corn cakes. The fish can be steamed or pan-fried; the illustration shows a browned, pan-fried serving.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Liaoning.
About this regional connection
Liaoning: Local culinary association; not a claim of exclusive origin.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有大连咸鱼饼子吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
Dalian salted fish with corn cakes
This combination grew from coastal household cooking around Dalian and also appears in restaurants. Preserved fish and pot-wall corn cakes make a simple shared meal.