Braised Sea Bass
Golden pan-fried sea bass simmered in a savory, spicy braising liquid built from minced pork, aromatics, and Lao Gan Ma black bean sauce. A glossy, starch-thickened sauce and a bright scatter of bell peppers, bird's eye chili, and scallions finish the dish.
Story
There is a quiet satisfaction in pressing a scored, cornstarch-dusted fish into a hot wok and watching the skin blister into a golden crust. That crunch is the perfect foil for what comes next: a low, covered simmer in a deeply savory bath of minced pork, ginger, garlic, and a generous spoonful of Lao Gan Ma. Skipping the salt in favor of light soy sauce lets the fermented chili-bean funk shine through. When the seven minutes are up, a quick pour of the reduced, glossy sauce over the plated fish—crowned with a confetti of fresh scallions and crisp bell peppers—turns a humble bass into something truly celebratory.
Ingredients
Sea bass
appropriate amount
Minced pork
appropriate amount
Diced garlic
appropriate amount
Diced ginger
appropriate amount
Scallion
appropriate amount
Bird's eye chili
appropriate amount
Lao Gan Ma black bean sauce
appropriate amount
Instructions
1
Step 1
Make cuts on the sea bass
2
Step 2
Pat the fish dry, then coat with cornstarch.
3
Step 3
Heat the wok then add cold oil, pan-fry the fish until both sides are golden, add the supporting ingredients, add light soy sauce and do not add salt
4
Step 4
Simmer the fish in the pot over low heat with the lid on for 7 minutes. Once cooked, plate the fish, thicken the sauce with starch and pour it over, then sprinkle with diced green and red peppers and chopped scallions to serve.
Main Dish
Air-Dried Sichuan Peppercorn Duck
Duck legs cured with crushed green Sichuan peppercorns, salt, and baijiu, then hung to air-dry and later steamed. The green peppercorns matter more than regular red ones—their numbing aroma sinks deeper into the meat. A high-proof Chinese liquor works best for the cure.
