Song He is the teochew name for Carp fish. It is not an expensive fish and is commonly found in wet markets.
When I was a youth (seems so long ago!), my mum used to steam the Song He Tao (Carp fish head) with yellow soya, sesame oil, ginger shreds and calamansi limes. It was a dish that is enjoyed by me and my mum. My dad and other siblings are not too fanatic about it. Some times, mum even steam the entire fish - just for me!
One must be careful with the Song He. It has many small delicate bones as well as longer stiffer ones - especially near the stomach and dorsal fin area. The soft tissues around the eye region is jelly-like with some fats but ooo...oooh, so ever tasty! Just thinking of it makes my eyes water and my stomach growling!
Not many restaurants serve the Song He. Among those that do is the popular HongKong Street Fish Restaurant that has sprouted many outlets all over the island - from Thomson to Clementi, and from Balestier to East Coast! Instead of steamed Song He, the restaurant chain cook the fish head in spicy sauce and the dish is one of their highly recommended dish. These days, whenever I have to get my Song He need fixed, I'll get my hubby to bring us there. Our last Song He dinner was just last Sunday at the outlet in Thomson Novena.
Some hawkers also serve the Song He. One such hawker centre is the Chinatown Complex which has 2 to 3 stalls selling the dish. We've yet to try there but do drop me a line if you have!
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