Fish is my favorite food. I also like drinking a little soup during dinner. So fish soup will be the best choice to combine them together. Crucian carp is a common type of fish on our dining table. My family usually braise curcian carp in soy sauce. They don’t seem to cook crucian carp soup. I remember I had crucian carp soup long time ago in a restaurant and its freshness impressed me most. Crucian carp soup is rich in protein and help to build up one’s health. I decided to learn how to cook the delicious fish soup. I found the recipe online a few days ago. Of course, there are several versions. I’d like to share the version I chose with you.

Ingredients: ginger, garlic, mushrooms, crucian carp, carrots, green onion stalks

Step One: When we buy crucian carp at a food market, the man who sells fish to us will help to gut and scale fish.

Wash the crucian carp thoroughly with tap water as soon as we get home. Then make three cuts on each side of the fish. Set aside to dry off. Cut ginger into slices. Cut carrots into strips. Cut some green onion stalks and chop up green onions. Soak small dried mushrooms in lukewarm water for about one hour. Peel two cloves of garlic and crush them with a kitchen knife.

Step Two: It is best to use a non-stick pan. It can prevent the fish from sticking to the bottom. Preheat the pan. Pour a little cooking oil into it. Add three slices of ginger , two cloves of garlic and green onion stalks to the pan. Place crucian carp lightly in the pan after the ginger gives off its pleasant smells. Reduce the heat to medium. Fry the fish until a little golden on each side. Then turn the heat down to low. Pick up ginger , garlic and green onion stalks with chopsticks and throw them away. Pour some water into the pan. Cover the fish with water. Add 2 slices of ginger and green onion stalks to the water. Increase the heat to high. After bringing the water to a boil, reduce the heat to medium. Add small mushrooms to the soup. Continue to cook the fish in boiling water until the soup turns milk white. (It took about 8 minutes this time.) Then cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to low to maintain a simmer.

Step Three: After 15 minutes , put carrots and chopped green onions in the soup. Allow to simmer gently for another 2-3 minutes. Then uncover the pan . Add appropriate amount of salt to the soup. Remove them carefully to a big bowl. Now we can eat succulent fish and drink delicious milk-white soup.

The soup I made this time looked a little bit brown. It was not like the legendary milk-white colour. Probably I added too much cooking oil this time. And I won’t add garlic and mushrooms next time. If you like tofu ,it is a good idea to add some tofu to the soup.