Chinese cuisine

Medium

Dry-Braised Fish With Pork in Spicy Sauce

Chef Chen Yichun

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– gan shao xian yu

Dry-braising is a peculiarly Sichuanese version of a cooking method used all over China. All braised dishes are first heated over a high flame and then left to simmer gently in a stock-based sauce. With dry braising, however, the sauce is left to reduce naturally, until all the seasonings have been absorbed by the main ingredients or cling to them in a delicious sticky coating.

Recipe

PRE TIME: 10 min

COOKING TIME: 20 min

TOTAL TIME: 30 min

3 SERVING

Ingredients:

23 oz. Barramundi, cleaned but with head and tail intact
3 oz. Pork Belly
6 piece Sichuan pickled chillies
0.5 oz. Ginger slices
4 stalk Spring onion, sliced
0.5 oz. Garlic, sliced
Marinade
2 tsp. Salt
2 tbsp. Shaoxing wine
0.25 tsp. White pepper (to taste)
3 piece Ginger slices
2 stalk Spring onion
Meat Seasoning
0.5 tbsp. Soy sauce
0.5 tbsp. Shaoxing wine
Sauce
1 oz. Pixian bean paste
25 oz. Chicken broth
2 tbsp. Fermented sweet rice liquid
1 tsp. Salt
0.5 oz. Sichuanese yacai (preserved vegetable)
1 tsp. Sugar

Directions:

Step 1

Use a sharp knife to make shallow slashes at 3cm intervals across the fattest part of the fish, at right angles to the backbone. These will help the flavours to penetrate its flesh.

Step 2

Rub the fish inside and out with the marinade ingredients and leave it for 30 minutes while you prepare everything else. ● Salt 1tsp / 5g ● Shaoxing wine 1tbsp / 15ml ● 0.25 tsp White pepper (to taste) ● 3 slices of ginger ● 2 spring onion

Step 3

Finely chop the pork. Cut the spring onion into 1.5 inch pieces , slice the ginger, mince garlic, and remove the stems of Sichuanese pickled chillies.

Step 4

Season the wok, then add 1 tablespoon of oil and return it to a high heat at 350°F/180°C. Dry the fish with a clean tea-towel or kitchen paper. Add the fish and fry each side for a couple of minutes until golden and crisp. Remove and set aside. (The fish can be briefly deep-fried instead if you have the oil to hand.)

Step 5

In the wok, add the pork, ¼ cup oil, and stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until it is a little crispy. Add shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and stir fry quickly. Remove and set aside. Rinse and dry the wok.

Step 6

Return the wok to a medium heat, add oil, Pixian bean paste, ginger, garlic, the Sichuanese pickled chillies, green onion, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until the oil is a deep orange-red. Then pour in the stock, add the pre-cooked pork, ya cai, fermented sweet rice, salt, and bring to the boil.

Step 7

Add the fish to the wok. When the liquid has returned to the boil. turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish from time to time, until the water in the sauce has evaporated, leaving only the cooking oil.

Step 8

Plate and serve.