• “江鱼仔” is made using anchovies (“鳀鱼”). Although the fish typically live in the open sea, they migrate to rivers in certain seasons, hence they came to be known as “江鱼仔” (literally, “small river fish”).
• Anchovies are a common ingredient in Southeast Asia, commonly used in Chinese and Malay cooking. Dried anchovies are widely sold in dried goods stores and seafood stores in Singapore.
• In Singapore, there are two common forms of “江鱼仔”. In the first type, the anchovies are separated into two halves, with their heads, bones and guts removed. These are used in everyday home cooking to prepare soups and other dishes.
• The second type is anchovies with bones, which are mainly used by dining outlets to boil soup or for flavouring.
• Anchovies can also be used to make anchovy powder, which is used in cooking as a seasoning.

From the time I had my first bowl of yong tau foo in Singapore, I have never stopped seeking out the different tastes and applications of anchovies. Whenever I walk into a food court and I’m greeted by the fragrance of anchovies, I immediately feel a warm sense of satisfaction. (Lianhe Zaobao, 15/3/2014)