Rough Introduction:
Tianmu Lake Braised Fish Head in Casserole is the most iconic and premium dish of Changzhou, renowned as the city’s “signature taste.” It uses the specific bighead carp from Tianmu Lake and the lake water itself, slow-braised for hours in a special clay casserole. The soup is milky white like cream, with an intensely rich and savory flavor, and the fish meat is exceptionally tender and smooth. It is a nutritious dish that epitomizes “original juice and original flavor.”

Origin & Status: Originating from Tianmu Lake in Liyang, Changzhou, this dish’s creation is closely tied to Master Zhu Shuncai of the Tianmu Lake Hotel. It has evolved from a local specialty into a culinary landmark for Changzhou and even China. Its success stems from the ultimate pursuit of “origin”: Origin of Ingredients, it must use bighead carp raised in the nationally protected water quality of Tianmu Lake, known for its large size, tender meat, and lack of muddy taste; Origin of Cooking Water, it uses water drawn directly from Tianmu Lake, ensuring its pure and fresh quality; Origin of Vessel, it is cooked exclusively in a special Yixing clay casserole, whose excellent heat retention and breathability allow the soup to reduce and concentrate perfectly during slow cooking.
Craft & Flavor: The cleaned fish head is first pan-seared to lock in freshness, then placed in the casserole with Tianmu Lake water, and seasoned minimally with ginger, scallions, and cooking wine. Relying entirely on heat control and time, it is simmered gently for hours. During this process, the collagen and fat from the fish head fully dissolve into the soup, creating its unique characteristic of being “creamy white, viscous without being watery, rich and mellow.” When tasted, the soup’s umami is beyond expectation—thick as a bisque yet refreshing and not greasy. The fish meat is tender and smooth with a firm texture. It perfectly illustrates the Huaiyang cuisine philosophy of “enhancing freshness with one key note, preserving the original flavor as the foundation,” offering a multi-sensory feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.