Braised Live Carp with Astragalus and Codonopsis

Name: Braised Live Carp with Astragalus and Codonopsis
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 (approx. 750 g) live carp (remove gills, scales, fins, and internal organs, wash clean, score crosshatch patterns on both sides); 10 g Astragalus (original text written as 'Huang Mie', wash and slice); 6 g Codonopsis (soak slightly and slice); 15 g soaked shiitake mushrooms (cut in half); 15 g winter bamboo shoot slices; 30 g white sugar; 10 g cooking wine; 3 g salt; 10 g soy sauce; 10 g scallion (cut into shreds); 15 g ginger (processed into ginger juice); 10 g garlic (sliced); 1 g MSG; 20 g bean starch slurry; 500 g vegetable oil; 50 g lard; 500 g clear soup stock

This Sichuan dish features carp that is fried and then braised with codonopsis (dangshen) and astragalus root (huangqi). It is traditionally valued for replenishing qi, strengthening the spleen, promoting diuresis, and reducing swelling.

55 min

Easy

0 favorites

Braised Live Carp with Astragalus and Codonopsis

Ingredients

live carp (remove gills, scales, fins, and internal organs, wash clean, score crosshatch patterns on both sides) 1 (approx. 750 g)

Astragalus (original text written as 'Huang Mie', wash and slice) 10 g

Codonopsis (soak slightly and slice) 6 g

soaked shiitake mushrooms (cut in half) 15 g

winter bamboo shoot slices 15 g

white sugar 30 g

cooking wine 10 g

salt 3 g

soy sauce 10 g

scallion (cut into shreds) 10 g

ginger (processed into ginger juice) 15 g

garlic (sliced) 10 g

MSG 1 g

bean starch slurry 20 g

vegetable oil 500 g

lard 50 g

clear soup stock 500 g

Instructions

Ingredient Preparation

After removing the gills, scales, and fins from the carp, gut it and wash clean. Score crosshatch patterns on both sides of the fish. Cut the soaked shiitake mushrooms in half. After lightly soaking the Codonopsis and Astragalus, slice them into 2 cm thick pieces. Wash the ginger, scallion, and garlic, slice the garlic, cut the scallion into shreds, and process the ginger into ginger juice for later use.

Deep-Fry the Carp

Heat a wok, add vegetable oil and heat to approximately 60% heat (around 150°C). Add the carp and deep-fry until golden brown, then remove and drain excess oil.

Braise to Infuse Flavor

Place the wok over heat, add lard and white sugar, and stir-fry until the sugar turns jujube red. Add clear soup stock, then add the fried carp, Codonopsis slices, and Astragalus slices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and braise until fully cooked and flavorful.

Plate and Thicken Sauce

Transfer the fish to a serving plate and remove the Codonopsis and Astragalus slices. Add the bamboo shoot slices and shiitake slices to the soup pot, season with MSG, bring to a boil, then skim off any foam. Thicken the sauce with the starch slurry, drizzle with lard, and pour the sauce over the fish to serve.