Hai'an in Nantong abounds in lakes, rivers and varieties of fishes. Its favorable natural environment allows the city's wild silver carps to grow plump.

Silver carp heads. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

There is a saying in Hai'an that eating fish meat is better than eating meat and eating fish head is better than eating fish meat, and there is another saying in the city that silver carps have beautiful tummies and tasty heads.

Thus, silver carp heads are a desirable part of a gourmet meal.

A cook prepares for silver carp head soup. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Pan-fry the prepared fish head to remove the fishy smell, put the fish head into an earthen pot after stir-frying the chopped onion and ginger in the pot, pour some water into the pot until it covers the fish head, and add some yellow wine and sliced tofu to the pot after the water boils. When the water boils again, stew the soup at low heat for 30 minutes.

When serving the dish, spray some chopped caraways and white pepper powder over the soup.

A bowl of silver carp head soup. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

The well-cooked silver carp head soup features milky soup and fish meat that is tender than tofu and has to be served with a spoon.