Crisp crucian carp
Fresh small crucian carp is braised for a long time with seasonings such as scallions, ginger, wine, and vinegar, until the bones are completely tender while the fish retains its original shape.
Ingredients
live small crucian carp
20
scallions
300 g
ginger slices
50 g
Chinkiang vinegar
300 g
Shaoxing wine
100 g
soy sauce
200 g
sugar
100 g
sesame oil
200 g
Instructions
1
Preparing the ingredients
Scale the crucian carp, remove the gills, fins, and entrails, wash thoroughly, and drain well. Trim the roots from the scallions.
2
Assembling and braising
Line the bottom of a clay pot with a bamboo mat and spread a layer of scallions on top. Arrange the crucian carp belly-up with their heads pointing toward the edge of the pot in a single ring. Place another layer of scallions over the fish, then arrange a second layer of crucian carp on top of the scallions using the same method. Once the fish are arranged, add the Shaoxing wine, Chinkiang vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger slices. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, skim off the foam, then press a large round plate on top of the fish to weight them down. Cover the pot tightly and braise over low heat for about 4 hours, until the fish bones are completely softened and the braising liquid is nearly thickened. Stir in the sesame oil and, once the sauce reaches a sticky, gelatinous consistency, transfer everything to a serving plate along with the sauce.
