Chinese cuisine

Medium

Sichuan-Style Braised Fish With Tofu in Spicy Sauce

Chef Chen Yichun

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– dou fu yu

For the lovers of Sichuan cuisine, you may find that there are many featured fish dishes. Pixian chili bean paste is the soul of this dish. The tofu soaked up flavors of the sauce which make it tasty.

Recipe

PRE TIME: 25 min

COOKING TIME: 15 min

TOTAL TIME: 40 min

2 SERVING

Ingredients:

1 large Barramundi or Asian sea bass (1lb 7oz / 650g), cleaned but with head and tail intact
1 box Soft tofu (about 1lb / 450g)
3 cup Cooking oil
1 oz. Garlic, sliced
1 oz. Ginger, sliced
1 oz. Green onion, diced
Marinade
1 pinch Salt (to taste)
3 piece Ginger slices
2 stalk Green onion
1 pinch White pepper (to taste)
1 tbsp. Shaoxing wine
Sauce
1.5 oz. Pixian bean paste
2.5 cup Chicken broth
1.5 tbsp. Soy sauce
1 tbsp. Sweet bean sauce
2 tbsp. Fermented sweet rice
1 tbsp. Sugar
0.5 tbsp. Water + starch slurry

Directions:

Step 1

Make 3 or 4 shallow diagonal cuts into each side of the fish. Rub the fish inside and out with the salt, Shaoxing wine, and white pepper. Stuff the fish with ginger and green onion, and leave to marinate for 30 minutes while you prepare everything else. These will help the flavors to penetrate its flesh.

Step 2

Cut the tofu into slices about 0.5 inch (1 cm) thick (the slices should ideally be about 2 x 1.75 inch / 5 x 3.5 cm). Place in a small bowl filled with water and set aside.

Step 3

Blanch the tofu in lightly salted boiling water for about 30 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Step 4

Slice the green onion, ginger, and garlic.

Step 5

Remove the ginger and green onion from the fish. Dry the fish with kitchen paper or a clean towel.

Step 6

Season the wok, then heat 3 cups of oil over a high flame until reaching 350°F / 180°C. Add the fish and fry for about 2 minutes on each side until the skin is crisp and golden. Remove and set aside.

Step 7

Return the wok to a medium heat with 2 tbsp oil, add the Pixian chilli bean paste and stir-fry for 20-30 seconds, until the oil is red and richly fragrant. Add the garlic, ginger, and green onions and stir-fry for about 20 seconds more, until they are fragrant. Then add the stock, soy sauce, sweet bean sauce, fermented sweet rice, sugar, and bring the liquid to the boil. Place the fish in the wok, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 6 minutes, spooning over the sauce from time to time. Turn the fish, and continue to simmer for another 4-5 minutes. Then add the sweet bean sauce mixture and the Shaoxing wine and mix them in gently. Gently remove the fish from the sauce and lift it on to a large serving platter.

Step 8

Next, add the tofu in the wok, and simmer everything for another 3 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture to the wok to thicken the sauce - you may need a little more or a little less than 1 tbsp, depending on how much the sauce has reduced. You should end up with a gravy-like consistency.

Step 9

Finally, pour the tofu and sauce all over the waiting fish.