Frozen Freshwater Whitebait Icefish

Very small, very slender fish, milky-white and almost translucent, with no scales or pigment to speak of. Each one has a fine dark eye near the head and a body that tapers away to a point. They are eaten whole, head and all, which is why the size matters: these are small enough that nothing needs cleaning or trimming.

The texture is soft and delicate and the flavour is mild and faintly sweet. Dust them lightly in flour and fry them into a crisp omelette or into small fritters, drop a handful into soup or congee right at the end so they barely cook, or steam them with egg. Whatever you do, keep the cooking short — they break up if they are stirred around too much.

• Small translucent white fish, eaten whole
• Fine dark eye, tapered body, no scales
• Soft texture, mild and lightly sweet
• Fry into omelette or fritters, or add to soup at the end

Keep frozen at -18°C or below. Thaw in the refrigerator and cook thoroughly before eating.