Is Yangtze River knife fish the same as hairtail fish?

There are many kinds of fish in our country, but there are two kinds of fish that are unique to our country. They are expensive, but that has not stopped people from loving them. One of them is pufferfish, which I believe we are all familiar with. There is another type of fish that many people may not have heard of or are not very familiar with, and that is the Yangtze River knife fish. As the name suggests, it grows in the Yangtze River Basin. Due to various reasons, its production is scarce, so the price is expensive. However, many people have this question: Is the Yangtze River knife fish the same as the hairtail we usually call? Let’s take a closer look below.

The Yangtze River knife fish is a migratory fish of the genus Coilia in the family Anchovy. It usually lives in the sea. From February to March every year, the long-jawed Coilia enters the river from the sea and swims upstream for reproductive migration. The Yangtze River knife fish, also known as long-jawed anchovy, hairfish, wild hairfish, etc., is a very nutritious fish.

1. River knife fish: The river knife fish is silvery white all over, with a white head and blood-red gills. The best ones are produced in the Jingjiang section of the Yangtze River, because the salt in its body is basically diluted when the knife fish migrates to this area of ​​water. At the same time, its body grows fat in the fresh water, and its meat becomes tender, so it tastes very delicious.

2. Sea knife fish: Sea knife fish refers to the knife fish caught at the junction of sea water and fresh water at the mouth of the Yangtze River. The fish species is pure, but because the salt in its body has not been diluted, the meat is slightly hard and the taste is slightly inferior.

3. Lake knifefish: Lake knifefish is a "close relative" of the Yangtze River knifefish. Because it lives in large lakes, its taste is very different from that of the Yangtze River knifefish. It is often sold at a high price in the market as the Yangtze River knifefish. Although it looks similar, its head is red and its gills are white. You can distinguish them by careful identification.

Nutritional value of Yangtze River knife fish

1. Yangtze River knife fish is rich in EPA and DHA, which has the effect of lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and can also prevent blood clots.

2. The meat of Yangtze River knife fish contains a large amount of vitamin B, which has the effect of delaying human aging.

3. The black part of the Yangtze River knife fish contains vitamin B12, which can treat diseases such as anemia.

4. Yangtze River knife fish contains a large amount of protein and unsaturated fatty acids that are indispensable to the human body.

How to eat Yangtze River knife fish

1. Steamed Yangtze River Knife Fish

【Ingredients】Knife fish, green onion, ginger, salt, lard.

[Preparation] ① Remove the gills of the Yangtze River knife fish and then pull out the fish intestines from the fish head. After washing, the fish will still be a complete fish. ②Sprinkle some cooking wine on the Yangtze River knife fish, apply salt, put onion and ginger and marinate for 10 minutes. Add some lard before putting it in the pot. ③After the steamer is boiled, put in the knife fish and steam for 8 minutes. Pick out the green onion and ginger.

2. Braised Yangtze River Knife Fish

[Ingredients] Yangtze River knife fish, ginger, onion, rice wine, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cooking oil, salt and chicken essence in appropriate amounts.

[Preparation] ① Remove the internal organs of the Yangtze River knife fish and wash it. Peel and slice the ginger and wash the green onions. ② Heat the pan, pour in cooking oil, add ginger slices and green onions, and then add the knife fish. ③Add rice wine, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. ④Add boiling water and cook over medium heat. ⑤ When 1/3 of the saury soup remains, add chicken essence and salt for seasoning, and cook over high heat until the soup thickens.