No, this isn't a Chinese American fast food dish.

It's been a Chinese staple for over 200 years and was allegedly a favorite of the Chinese emperor in the 18th century.

Chinese food is more than just stir fry noodles and dumplings.

I'm Claressa and I'm taking you on a journey through China to try authentic Chinese food region by region.

This week we're still in eastern China, which includes Shanghai and Jiangsu Province.

Today we're learning all about squirrel fish, also known as Sung Soo way.

No actual squirrels were involved in the making of this dish.

It's named this way simply because it said toe look like the tale of a squirrel.

Kind of.

This is a recipe that's been in Chinese cookbooks since the Qing Dynasty.

Fundamentally, it's a Chinese perch that's deep fried, then dressed with a sweet tomato based sauce to learn how to make this dish.

I met up with the chef at a restaurant chain that's been around for more than 200 years, and this store alone sells 300,000 plates of squirrel fish a year.

No, why telling you that?

So, yeah, we owe 20.

Jang Seo.

Taihu Lake is a part of a long network of waterways on the southeastern seaboard of China.

It has historically been the region's breadbasket.

So things like shrimp, crab and fish are quite common in the region's culinary repertoire.

The home is shame, but she's a toe.

Paul.

Yeah, Mhm today you don't treat them.

Chapa.

Okay?

Do you want your challenge on the charge?

Oh, wow.

So the pole so Okay, they're just doing that in the bull fan.

David.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Oh, man, This is harder than chills like a hot.

So just leave a junkie.

She has a Yeah, so eating.

You know, it's like a wave.

My, um Yeah, Z uh, So you need okay?

No one just a by the home and shit.

And I just thought the fish is deep fried in a vat of oil for two minutes and then coated in a sweet and sour sauce comprised of three fish is then plated with green candy Cherries for eyes, pine nuts and sweet river shrimp for garnish and a bunch of grapes for good measure.

And it does look a bit like the tale of a squirrel hot now Woman's Hong Kong can s so there you have it.

Sweet and sour and fried are not just components of Westernized Chinese food there, traditionally Chinese as well, as long as it's well balanced up.

Next we're heading north to Beijing, where we'll be diving deep into a world of wheat based carbs and lots of meat.

Stay tuned and, as always, if you haven't already subscribe and follow our channel at Gold thread, too.