Braised Crucian Carp with Spicy Bean Paste

Name: Braised Crucian Carp with Spicy Bean Paste
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 (about 600 g, or 1 mandarin fish) Live crucian carp (cleaned, two shallow cuts on each side, rubbed with Shaoxing wine and fine salt to marinate); 30 g Minced garlic; 50 g Chopped scallions; 10 g Minced ginger; 10 g Soy sauce; 10 g Sugar; 10 g Vinegar; 25 g Shaoxing wine (for marinating); 15 g Wet starch (for thickening); 2 g Fine salt; 40 g Pixian doubanjiang (chopped); 300 g Meat broth; 500 g (about 150 g consumed) Cooked vegetable oil (for deep-frying)

A Sichuan-style fish dish prepared with Pixian doubanjiang (broad bean-chili paste). The fish has a bright red glaze, tender flesh, and a rich, savory flavor with subtle sweet and sour notes.

40 min

Easy

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Braised Crucian Carp with Spicy Bean Paste

Ingredients

Live crucian carp (cleaned, two shallow cuts on each side, rubbed with Shaoxing wine and fine salt to marinate) 2 (about 600 g, or 1 mandarin fish)

Minced garlic 30 g

Chopped scallions 50 g

Minced ginger 10 g

Soy sauce 10 g

Sugar 10 g

Vinegar 10 g

Shaoxing wine (for marinating) 25 g

Wet starch (for thickening) 15 g

Fine salt 2 g

Pixian doubanjiang (chopped) 40 g

Meat broth 300 g

Cooked vegetable oil (for deep-frying) 500 g (about 150 g consumed)

Instructions

Marinate the fish

Clean the fish and make two diagonal cuts on each side (almost reaching the bone). Rub with Shaoxing wine and fine salt and marinate briefly.

Fry and braise the fish

Heat a wok over high heat. Add oil and heat to about 70% hot, then add the fish and briefly fry before removing. Reserve 75 g of oil in the wok, add the chopped Pixian doubanjiang, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until the oil turns red. Add the fish and meat broth, reduce the heat to low, then add soy sauce, sugar, and fine salt. Braise until the fish is cooked through, then transfer to a serving plate.

Thicken and pour the sauce

Return the wok to high heat. Thicken the sauce with wet starch, drizzle in the vinegar, sprinkle with chopped scallions, then pour the sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.