Jinxi's aquatic delicacies to enjoy in spring days

The warmth of spring gives farmers in Jinxi the opportunity to plough the fields and catch fresh fish, which are often plump and juicy at this time of year.

Fishermen haul their daily catch out of the water. [Photo from WeChat account jinxiguzhen]

Among the sprinkling of lakes that can be found in and around Jinxi are Mingjing Lake, Changbai Lake, Wangyang Lake and Wubao Lake. Deep or shallow, the lakes in Jinxi are particularly known for their high standard of water quality and are conducive to various edible aquatic animals such as fish, clams and snails.

Red circles indicate the four major lakes in the town of Jinxi, Kunshan city. [Photo from WeChat account jinxiguzhen]

Locally-caught food can be sampled in the town and many delicacies hail from there. Dozens of fish recipes have been passed down through generations. One local delicacy that's a must try is fried fish chops, which can be eaten alone or served with soup noodles.

Fried fish chops served on a plate. [Photo from WeChat account jinxiguzhen]

Rhodeus sinensis is a freshwater fish native to China's inland waterways. The fish only inhabits water with very specific conditions: with a pH of 6.8 to 7.8, a hardness of 20 DH and a temperature of between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius.

The fish is small and has a maximum length of 5.2 centimeters. Its back is light green with a blue sheen and has a silver-white color on its belly.