A whole golden croaker with its scales intact and its body still firm, frozen aboard the boat so the flesh keeps the snap it had when it came out of the water.

What It Is

A whole croaker of the large yellow species (Larimichthys crocea), roughly 400 to 600 g per fish, scales on, head and tail intact, gutted and cleaned before freezing. The skin carries the deep amber-gold tone the species is named for.

Where It Comes From

Taken by net in the East China Sea and processed on the vessel within hours of the haul. The fish are graded by weight, rinsed in chilled seawater and frozen flat in single layers so the bodies stay straight and the scales are not scuffed.

Specifications

State on Arrival

Raw and frozen solid. The body is rigid and the eyes are clear; the scales sit tight to the skin with no lifting at the edges.

Storage and Thawing

Hold at -18 C or colder. Thaw in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours, in a dish so any liquid is caught, then pat the cavity dry with paper towel. Do not thaw at room temperature and do not refreeze once thawed.

Shelf Life and Delivery

Best within 12 months of the production date stamped on the box. Orders travel in insulated liners with dry ice and arrive hard frozen; move the box straight into the freezer, or into the refrigerator if you plan to cook within two days.

How to Cook It

The flesh is delicate and sweet, so it rewards the simplest treatments and falls apart under rough handling.

• Steamed score the thickest part twice, lay ginger and scallion over and inside, steam over rolling boil for 8 minutes, then pour over hot oil and light soy.
• Red-braised sear both sides in a wide pan until the skin blisters, add soy, dark soy, sugar and rice wine, then simmer for 10 minutes and reduce the sauce.
• Pan-fried salt the fish for 15 minutes, dry it well, and fry skin down in a hot pan without moving it for 4 minutes before turning once.
• Soup fry the fish briefly, add boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes until the broth turns milky, then season with white pepper.

Allergen Information

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs.