Braised Crucian Carp with Fermented Black Beans

Name: Braised Crucian Carp with Fermented Black Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 750 g Crucian carp (scaled, gutted, gills and innards removed, washed); 100 g Raw pork fat (scored into wheat-ear pattern); 150 g Fermented black beans (douchi); 15 g Scallions (cut into 3 cm segments); 15 g Ginger (sliced); 5 g Garlic (sliced); 100 g Peanut oil (for frying the fish); 100 g Sweet bean paste (fried until fragrant); 10 g Soy sauce; 10 g Sichuan peppercorns; 10 g Star anise; 15 g Sugar; 20 g Shaoxing wine; 250 g Clear broth; 50 g Cornstarch (for thickening); 100 g Sichuan peppercorn oil (drizzled over the fish at the end)

A classic Shandong dish featuring a glossy red finish, rich savory sauce, and tender flesh.

55 min

Easy

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Braised Crucian Carp with Fermented Black Beans

Ingredients

Crucian carp (scaled, gutted, gills and innards removed, washed) 750 g

Raw pork fat (scored into wheat-ear pattern) 100 g

Fermented black beans (douchi) 150 g

Scallions (cut into 3 cm segments) 15 g

Ginger (sliced) 15 g

Garlic (sliced) 5 g

Peanut oil (for frying the fish) 100 g

Sweet bean paste (fried until fragrant) 100 g

Soy sauce 10 g

Sichuan peppercorns 10 g

Star anise 10 g

Sugar 15 g

Shaoxing wine 20 g

Clear broth 250 g

Cornstarch (for thickening) 50 g

Sichuan peppercorn oil (drizzled over the fish at the end) 100 g

Instructions

Ingredient Preparation

Scale the crucian carp, clean it thoroughly, remove the gills and innards, and wash well. Cut the scallions into 3 cm segments and slice the ginger and garlic. Score the raw pork fat into a wheat-ear pattern and set aside.

Frying the Fish

Add peanut oil to a wok and heat over medium heat to about 60% hot (around 150 °C). Add the fish and fry until golden yellow, then remove and drain off the oil.

Building the Sauce

Reserve some oil in the wok and place over high heat. Add the sweet bean paste and fermented black beans and fry until fragrant, then add the soy sauce, scallions, ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, sugar, Shaoxing wine, and clear broth. Bring to a boil and place the fried fish into the sauce.

Slow Braising

Add the raw pork fat and, once boiling, move the wok to low heat. When the broth has reduced by half, flip the fish over. Once the broth has thickened, transfer the fish to a serving plate.

Thickening and Finishing

Return the remaining sauce in the wok to the heat and thicken with cornstarch. Once it comes back to a boil, stir in the Shaoxing wine and Sichuan peppercorn oil, then pour the sauce over the fish to serve.