🍽️ Demoli Stewed Fish

Fresh fish stewed with tofu and vermicelli, rich and savory.

Demoli stewed fish is a rustic dish from the Demoli area near Harbin in Heilongjiang. Fresh live carp or crucian carp is pan-seared until lightly golden, then stewed slowly with tofu, wide glass noodles, pork slices, bean sauce, scallion, ginger and star anise. The fish is tender, the tofu soaks up the savory broth, the noodles turn soft and slippery, and the glossy sauce is rich and deeply seasoned. Northeastern farm cooking favors a one-pot stew over wood fire, ideal for sharing around a large basin. Restaurants along the Harbin-Tongjiang road feature it, and travelers heading toward the Changbai Mountains often stop for it, making it one of Heilongjiang's most down-to-earth stews.