Creamy Mandarin Fish
A Shandong (Lu) specialty featuring a milk-white broth and tender, jade-like fish flesh—fresh, aromatic, and silky-smooth.
Ingredients
Mandarin fish
1000 g
Salted bamboo shoot tips
50 g
Dried shiitake mushrooms
65 g
Ham
100 g
Dry flour
30 g
Cooked lard
250 g
Scallion
10 g
Ginger
15 g
Milk broth
250 g
Sichuan peppercorns
5 g
Shaoxing wine
20 g
Star anise
20 g
Refined salt
3 g
Chicken fat
10 g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Scale the mandarin fish, remove the gills, scoop out the innards, and rinse clean. Trim off the tips of the fins with a knife. Lower the fish into a pot of water that is about 80% boiling and blanch briefly, scalding both sides evenly. Then transfer it to cold water and scrape off the black skin, rinse clean, and drain thoroughly.
2
Step 2
Chop open the fish's lower jaw bone. Lay the fish flat on a cutting board with the head pointing to the left and the belly facing outward. Score diagonal cuts about 2 cm wide across one side of the fish, then flip it over and cut diamond-shaped blocks. Coat both sides with dry flour.
3
Step 3
Set a wok over medium heat and add the cooked lard. When the oil reaches about 60% hot (approximately 132°C), lower in the fish and fry until about 60% cooked. Add the scallion and ginger and fry until golden, then pour in the milk broth, Sichuan peppercorns, Shaoxing wine, star anise, and refined salt. Add the fried fish and bring to a vigorous boil for 10 minutes. When fully cooked, remove and discard the scallion, ginger, peppercorns, and star anise.
4
Step 4
Transfer the fish to a large serving plate, pour over the milk broth and chicken fat, and garnish with the dried shiitake mushrooms, ham, and bamboo shoot tips. Serve immediately.
