鱼香肉丝 Meaning
/yú xiāng ròu sī/
- casual
This is a classic Sichuan-style dish consisting of shredded pork stir-fried with wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and scallions in a signature "fish-fragrant" sauce. Despite the name "fish-fragrant," the dish contains no seafood; the flavor profile is achieved through a delicate, aromatic balance of pickled chili peppers, garlic, ginger, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. It is a staple comfort food found in almost every Chinese restaurant. The "fish-fragrant" (yú xiāng) technique is a cornerstone of Sichuan cuisine, emphasizing a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes. It is frequently ordered as a quick, satisfying meal over steamed rice.
鱼香肉丝 in Conversation
Ordering lunch
- A: 我们点个鱼香肉丝吧，特别下饭。Let's order the shredded pork with garlic sauce, it goes really well with rice.
- B: 好啊，再加个素菜就行。Sure, let's just add one vegetable dish.
'下饭' (xià fàn) is a common way to describe dishes that are appetizing and go well with rice.
Cooking at home
- A: 这个鱼香肉丝的酱汁调得真地道。The sauce for this shredded pork is really authentic.
- B: 诀窍就是一定要放够泡椒。The secret is to make sure you use enough pickled chili peppers.
'地道' (dì dào) means authentic or genuine in flavor.
Examples
我最喜欢吃鱼香肉丝。
My favorite dish is shredded pork with garlic sauce.
/wǒ zuì xǐ huān chī yú xiāng ròu sī 。/
鱼香肉丝是一道非常有名的川菜。
Shredded pork with garlic sauce is a very famous Sichuan dish.
/yú xiāng ròu sī shì yī dào fēi cháng yǒu míng de chuān cài 。/
虽然叫鱼香肉丝，但这道菜里其实并没有鱼。
Although it is called 'fish-fragrant' shredded pork, there is actually no fish in this dish.
/suī rán jiào yú xiāng ròu sī ， dàn zhè dào cài lǐ qí shí bìng méi yǒu yú 。/