West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy 西湖醋鱼

西湖醋鱼，民间俗称西湖醋溜鱼，是杭州传统名菜之一。
West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy, commonly known as West Lake Fish with Vinegar Sauce, is one of the famous traditional Hangzhou dishes.

西湖醋鱼的历史，得从八百多年前南宋杭州的“宋嫂鱼羹”说起。据说北宋末年，金兵入侵，康王赵构南逃，建都临安。当时有一妇人，人称宋五嫂，不甘受入侵者统治，也同小叔逃到临安，在西湖边以捕鱼为生，勉强度日。一次，小叔淋了暴雨得病卧床不起，五嫂正在为小叔煮鱼烧蛋以进补身体，不料官兵前来抓壮丁建造皇宫，宋嫂向官兵求情别抓卧床不起的小叔，不慎碰翻了灶上的酒醋瓶，等官兵走后，锅中的鱼蛋已煮成羹状，但小叔吃着却觉得异常鲜美，胃口大开，很快恢复健康。此后，邻里仿作，成了家常美味鱼羹。后来南宋孝宗皇帝游西湖时召见宋五嫂，经品尝鱼羹也大为赞赏，御赏重金，并赐酒旗为幌。“宋嫂鱼羹”经不断改进提高，成为鱼肴中之名菜。创业于清道光年间的楼外楼菜馆继承这道名菜，创新成鲜嫩酸甜、有蟹肉滋味的“西湖醋鱼”，并以“京人宋嫂首创，西湖第一珍馐”加以宣传，成为杭州名菜之首。
The history of the West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy dates from more than 800 years ago when there was “Mrs. Song’s Fish Soup” in Hangzhou in the Southern Song Dynasty. It is said Emperor Kang called Zhao Gou escaped to the south when the soldiers of Jin Dynasty invaded, and made Lin’an the capital city. At that time, there was a woman called Song Wusao (who was the wife of a Mr. Song’s fifth son) who was not reconciled to the invader’s reign and escaped to Lin’an with her brother-in-law. She made a living by fishing besides the West Lake and lived from hand to mouth. Once, her brother-in-law was caught in a heavy rain, got terribly ill and could not rise from his sickbed. Wusao was cooking fish and eggs for her brother-in-law to nourish him. Unexpectedly, the officers and soldiers came to press-gang able-bodied men to build the imperial palace. When Mrs. Song interceded with the officers and soldiers not to take her bedridden brother-in-law, the wine vinegar bottle on the cooking range was accidentally overturned. After the officers and soldiers left, the fish and eggs in the saucepan had been cooked into thick soup, but the brother-in-law found it was extremely delicious and his appetite was greatly whetted. As a result, he got well soon. After that, the neighbors imitated the dish, which therefore became known as a delicious home cooked fish soup. Afterwards, Emperor Xiaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty called on Song Wusao when he visited the West Lake. After tasting the fish soup, he spoke highly of it and presented a large sum of money and a wine shop flag to serve as a shop sign to Song Wusao. With constant improvement, Mrs. Song’s Fish Soup became the most famous dish of all fish dishes. Founded in the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty, the restaurant Lou Wai Lou inherited this famous dish and innovated it into the fresh, tender, sour and sweet “West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy” with the flavor of crab meat, and publicized it as “originating from Mrs. Song from the capital city and the best delicacy of West Lake”. Thus, it has become the best of Hangzhou’s famous dishes.