Iron finch

Fried iron finch: a very famous specialty snack in Tianjin. The finished product has golden color, crisp bones and fragrant meat, and unique flavor. Iron finches are actually sparrows. As a special dish with Tianjin flavor, it has a history of hundreds of years. But why do Tianjin people call it the iron finch? According to some Tianjin people of the older generation, it is difficult to feed mature sparrows when they are caught. Stocking in a cage is also not eating or drinking, and finally it hits the cage and dies. Calling it an iron sparrow means that it does not eat the food it comes from, and its ambition is as strong as iron. The iron sparrow used for frying iron sparrow is a famous specialty in Tianjin. It is small in size, with black claws and dark brown feathers. In the severe winter, the feathers are getting richer and the meat breast is fat and tender. "Tianjin Miscellanies and Food Articles" contains that "iron finches and whitebait are famous far and near in winter." Fried iron finch is a famous special dish in Tianjin cuisine, and its meat is tender and delicious, which is very popular among famous people. Fan Bin's "The poem of Jinmen" records: "Jinmen is good and delicious. In early winter, the snow falls on the forest nest, the ice knocks on the whitebait on the river bank net, and the fire hugs the beast stove." It vividly describes the delicacies of iron finches and whitebait. The production of iron finches is exquisite. First, the hair is brushed, a small incision is made from the tail to squeeze out the internal organs, and then the sternum is removed from the back, the spine and leg bones are broken, the tip of the mouth is cut off, the eyes are dug out and washed. Put the cleaned iron finch in a bowl, add Shaoxing wine, refined salt and onion ginger juice, mix well and pickle for 10 minutes, take it out and pat it with glutinous rice flour. Put the pot on the fire, scoop in peanut oil and burn it to 70% heat (about 175℃), then fry it thoroughly and take it out, let it cool a little, then fry it again until it is crisp, and then fish it into the plate. Set fire to the original pot, put oil in it, add minced garlic, fry until fragrant, add vinegar and white sugar, boil until thick, pour sesame oil on it, and serve. However, it should be noted that there is a shortage of raw materials for iron finches in the market. Some small shops pretend to be processed with dead chickens (commonly known as "hairy eggs"), which are white in color and have traces of being cut off. The real iron finch is black, with a small beak and claws and a dark color. Boutique recommendation: Maji Xiyuzhai Snack Bar, Address: No.27, Floor 1, Zone 2, Nanshi Food Street, Heping District, Tel: 27275402.
Reprinted with attribution： https://cnlocality.com/(Chinese Specialty Products)