Hai'an natives' love for yellow croaker started with Zhang Jian (1853-1926), an industrial magnate and scholar in Nantong whose fishing vessel caught the first yellow croakers in Nantong.

Braised yellow croakers in brown sauce. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Braised yellow croakers in brown sauce are the most common dish in Hai'an. Clean fish are first cut several times before adding sliced ginger and scallion and spraying on some salt, yellow wine and light soy sauce. The cured fish are then put to the frying pan and white sugar, yellow wine, light soy sauce are added after the skin of the fish turns a golden color. When the soup becomes thick, the fish are ready to be served.

Steamed yellow croaker. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Steamed yellow croakers are the quickest to prepare. The fish are just marinated in salt for five minutes before being put in a steamer with yellow wine and chicken soup for seven minutes.