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Carp (ingredient)

Fish & seafood · White fish

Carp

Large freshwater fish with rich, firm flesh and many bones; steamed, braised or fried whole in Asian and Central European cooking.

Also called: common carp, yellow river carp, li yu, whole carp

Around the world: 鲤鱼, li yu (zh)

A kind of fish

2 recipes with it

Photo: George Chernilevsky, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Carp is a big-scaled freshwater fish, often sold whole. Its flesh is firm, slightly fatty and pinkish-white, with fine Y-shaped bones. It is a symbol of good fortune in Chinese New Year dishes and the traditional Christmas fish in Poland and Czechia.

Cyprinus carpio

How it’s used

  • Chinese sweet-and-sour or braised whole carp
  • Polish and Czech fried carp at Christmas
  • Gefilte fish
  • Steamed with ginger and spring onion
  • Fish soups

Characteristics

Taste
Rich and sweet; wild carp can taste earthy.
Texture
Firm, with many small bones.
When cooked
Scoring the sides of a whole fish helps it cook evenly and softens small bones in frying. Rinse the cavity well.
Sold as
fresh, frozen
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying, Suitable for boiling

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep cold and cook within a day of buying, ideally on ice.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Fish.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains fish, a common allergen.
  • Keep fish very cold (on ice or in the coldest part of the fridge) and cook within a day or two of buying; a strong ammonia or sour smell means it has spoiled. Cook to 63 °C (145 °F), when the flesh turns opaque and flakes.
  • Watch for fine bones, especially when serving children. Freshwater fish should always be cooked through, never eaten raw.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
127 kcal
Protein
17.83 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
5.6 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Fish, carp, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Sea bass — Whole fish for steaming; finer, sweeter.
  • Tilapia — Whole tilapia for frying.

Related ingredients

Recipes with carp

More white fish