Water Boiled Fish

Water Boiled Fish

水煮鱼 shuǐ zhǔ yú

This is a classic Chongqing dishes. Water Boiled Fish is a stew of sliced freshwater fish cooked in a seasoned broth covered with dried red chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. The stew is ladled over a bed of blanched yellow bean sprouts before serving. The words “water-boiled” are deceiving. This is not a bland dish by any means. Everything about it is hot, hot, hot!

The  Recipe

Ingredients:

• 800-1000 g Fish fillets (preferably river or lake fish)
• 250-300 g Cooking oil
• 3 tbsp Hot bean sauce
• 1 chunk Ginger root, sliced
• 8 clove Garlic, sliced
• 3 stalk Scallion
• 2 handful Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 rice bowl Sichuan dried chilli
• 2/3 tbsp Chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp Jiafan rice wine
• 2/3 tbsp Light soya sauce
• 700-800 ml Stock
• 1/3 tsp Pepper powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• Chicken powder to taste

Marinade:

• 1 Egg white
• 2/3 tsp Salt •
• 1 tbsp Jiafan rice wine
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch

Salad Base:

• ½ head Iceberg
• 1 rice bowl Black fungus, soaked in water
• 150 g Cucumber, sliced

Preparation:

1. Rinse the fish fillets and cut each into 3 pieces. Dry the fish well with a clean kitchen cloth. Combine the fish with the marinade in a large bowl and set aside for about 30 minutes. Prepare the salad base in a bowl.Heat up some oil in a wok or heavy skillet and slowly stir in the marinated fish. Cook until fish just starts to turn white, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
2. Pour off the frying oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add in hot bean sauce and stir until fragrant.Stir in ginger, garlic, half scallion sections, chilli flakes, half of each Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilli. Stir over the medium heat until their fragrance is fully released. Drizzle in rice wine and light soya sauce. Continue stirring.Pour in stock, adjusting the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Season it with pepper, salt, chicken powder and white sugar. Return fish to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour the fish stew into the prepared bowl with salad.
3. Heat up 200 grams of oil in another pan. Add in another half peppercorns and dried chilli. Stir till fragrant over the slow heat. Pour over the fish and garnish with the curled, drained spring onions or coriander leaves.

Vocabulary:

shuǐ zhǔ yú
水   煮   鱼    water boiled fish                 n.
jī ròu
鸡 肉              chicken                               n.
là
辣                  hot                                     adj.
qiē
切                  slice                                   v.
zhǔ
煮                  cook                                  v.