A big, deep-bodied fish with skin the colour of old gold and scales that gleam like leaf. The flesh is soft, faintly sweet and noticeably fattier than the smaller grades, so it turns silky under steam and crisp at the edges when it is fried.

What it is

Larimichthys crocea, the large grade, gutted and gilled with the head and tail left on. One fish is sized for a banquet platter and will serve four to six.

Where it comes from

Wild-caught in the East China Sea and hand-selected for colour and weight before freezing, which is why the gold tone is deeper than on the smaller sizes.

Specifications

Condition on arrival

Frozen rigid with the scales flat against the body. Lift the gill cover when it has thawed: it should be red, not brown, and the eye should be clear.

Storage and thawing

• Keep at −18 °C or colder and use within twelve months
• Thaw in the refrigerator for eight to twelve hours and turn it once halfway
• Score the thickest part of the body so the heat reaches the bone
• Do not refreeze once thawed

Shelf life and delivery

• Best before: 12 months from the production date on the carton
• Packed in an insulated liner with gel packs and sent on a cold chain
• Confirm the belly is hard when it arrives, then freeze it straight away

How to cook it

• Steam — twelve to fifteen minutes with ginger, then hot soy oil
• Home braise — sear both sides and simmer in soy, wine and rock sugar
• Dry pan fry — thick segments dusted with flour, fried until golden
• With pickled greens — braise with bamboo shoot until the liquor thickens

Allergen information

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs.