Ice fishing brings a taste of Chagan lake in NE China

It's the 3rd day of the ice fishing event on Chagan lake and the local fishermen have already seen a harvest season.

Unlike other downtown markets, this one is packed with nothing but fish. Extra porters were hired during this harvest season because the locals want to pack and deliver the fish to dinner tables just before the new year holiday period.

Zhu Jingjun, a porter in Chagan Lake Fish Market, said, "I can pack at least 5000 kilograms of fish in a day's time. Everything you see here must be gone in just 2 days."

It's the 3rd day of the ice fishing event and more than 16000 kilograms of fish have been caught so far. This wide selection will definitely enrich people's dinner tables on new year's eve. Let's see some of the exquisite ways to cook them.

Simple seasonings, but rich in flavor. The fresh water fish is cooked with a twist of the northeast. And the cold weather here is seen as the extra garnish.

Zhang Baoquan, Head Chef of Guandong Fishing King Hotel, said, "Unlike dishes from the southern parts of the country, which are usually rather sweet, people that live in snow prefer more salty and sour tastes. So we had to put more vinegar in it."

And deep-fried fish wrapped with eggs and mashed potatoes can't go wrong in such a bone chilling winter. But the chef told us there was a problem with the bigger fish.

The Head Chef also mentioned: "No where can we find plates that are big enough to hold fish from Chagan Lake. So we had to custom order them from the factory. This one here cost more than 1000 yuan."

It smells good in the kitchen, so it is about the time to call the waitress. From a negative 30 degree frozen lake to a cosy dinner table, there's no better way to spend the day in the icy northeast.