When the spring mackerel lands, a gift-giving custom comes first

Bao yu (鲅鱼) is the name used along the Shandong coast for the Spanish mackerel. Every April and May, around Grain Rain (Guyu), Shazikou in Laoshan enters the spring mackerel fishing season. Locals have a saying, “when the mackerel jumps, the father-in-law smiles”: a son-in-law buys several fresh mackerel for his wife's parents to show filial respect. The custom was added to the Laoshan District-level intangible cultural heritage list in 2008, to the Qingdao municipal list in 2015, and in 2021, under the name “Laoshan mackerel gift custom,” to the fifth batch of Shandong provincial intangible cultural heritage.

Shazikou is an important mackerel distribution center in Qingdao; mackerel brought to market through Shazikou each year accounts for more than 70 percent of mackerel sales in Qingdao. When spring mackerel is in season, local families and restaurants often wrap it into dumplings; the “eating mackerel” part of the custom also commonly includes mackerel dumplings, mackerel meatballs, and braised mackerel. The custom is part of everyday social exchanges in spring: the fish must be fresh, it is given to the wife's parents, and what matters is the season and the thought. For visitors, eating mackerel dumplings in Qingdao in spring coincides with the period when local mackerel comes to market in volume.

Mackerel dumplings piled on a white plate, several with green edges, and a small dish of dipping sauce beside them
A plate of mackerel dumplings in Qingdao, several wrappers with green-tinged edges, photographed in 2019 N509FZ · Photo credits ↗

Skin and bone it, then stir in one direction until sticky

Spanish mackerel has few bones, arranged in neat rows, which makes it easy to fillet. First remove the head, bones, and skin, keeping only the flesh; with frozen mackerel, also rinse the dark clotted blood from the belly cavity to reduce the fishy smell. Also remove any remaining skin and the dark meat along the bones.

The fish itself is savory but has little aroma, so pork belly is added for flavor and richness, along with Chinese chives for aroma. The key to the filling is beating in water: about 500 grams of scallion-ginger Sichuan pepper water for a little over 500 grams of fish. Add it in several batches, stirring quickly with chopsticks in the same direction each time, until the water is absorbed, the filling turns sticky and cohesive, and the whole bowl reaches the consistency of thick porridge. If too much water goes in at once, the filling releases liquid and the wrappers tear easily during wrapping. This is what gives the boiled dumplings their juice and keeps the fish from turning dry.

Mackerel dumplings on a white plate, one opened to reveal a fish filling mixed with chives
Freshly cooked mackerel dumplings; one is opened, revealing fish and chives in the filling Jason M. C., Han · Photo credits ↗

Thin wrappers, a generous filling, and a pocket of juice

Mackerel dumplings call for thin wrappers and a generous filling: the wrapper is rolled thin, the filling is spread on generously, and once wrapped, a little of the filling's color shows through. The dough is usually mixed with cold water and rolled into rounds slightly thicker at the center and thin at the edges, so that a large spoonful of filling can be enclosed without tearing. Boil until the dumplings float and their bellies puff up, then lift them out; cooking too long makes the fish tough.

Dumplings straight from the pot hold a lot of juice. Bite a small opening first to test the temperature, suck out the juice, then dip in vinegar or mashed garlic. Do not crowd the pot, and use plenty of water so the dumplings do not stick together. After eating dumplings, Qingdao people often drink a bowl of the cooking water, saying that “the cooking broth helps the food go down” (原汤化原食). The mackerel filling is fine and tender, with the aroma of chives and pork belly coming afterward; the overall taste is clean and fresh rather than heavy with sauce.

Mackerel dumplings on a plate, the lower right one opened to show green chives and white fish filling
A plate of mackerel dumplings, the lower right one opened to show the filling Jason M. C., Han · Photo credits ↗

How to order, and who should take note

At Qingdao dumpling restaurants, mackerel dumplings are usually sold by the plate or by the portion; one plate plus two side dishes is enough for one person. Portions vary by shop, so ask how many dumplings come in an order first. In spring, when local mackerel is in season, the filling is fresher; at other times frozen mackerel may be used, so you can ask what fish the filling is made from. If you only want a taste, start with a basic order of mackerel dumplings rather than adding many side dishes at once.

Mackerel is a sea fish, so anyone allergic to fish should avoid it. The filling usually contains pork belly, which makes it unsuitable for vegetarians and people who keep halal; chives and pork may also not suit every taste. The wrappers contain wheat, so anyone strictly avoiding gluten needs another option. Fine bones occasionally remain in the fish, so open a dumpling and check before giving it to a child.

Eating Spanish mackerel dumplings in Dalian

Spanish mackerel dumplings are also common in Dalian. A 2023 Dalian Daily seafood article lists them alongside dumplings filled with spoon worms, sea urchin, yellow croaker and sea snails, while China Southern Airlines' Dalian guide also names Spanish mackerel as a representative local seafood filling. They share Qingdao's coastal tradition of using sea fish in dumplings, but Qingdao's mackerel gift-giving customs should not be assumed to apply to Dalian. The existing dumpling photographs in this article were taken in Qingdao; they illustrate the food, not the products of a particular Dalian restaurant.

When ordering in Dalian, show the Chinese name "鲅鱼水饺", then ask how many dumplings come in a serving and what the filling contains. Seafood dumplings are a broad category: asking only for seafood does not necessarily mean a fish filling, and one restaurant may offer several kinds. Check ingredients such as fish, wheat, pork and Chinese chives individually, and do not assume a menu item described as fish dumplings is pork-free.

Useful official references

Check the relevant official service before making arrangements. These links are references, not a guarantee of current services.