Crispy Small Crucian Carp

Name: Crispy Small Crucian Carp
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 9 h
Ingredients: 1 kg small live crucian carp (ideally about 10 cm long, cleaned of gills, scales, and entrails); 600 g scallion whites, cut into 10 cm long segments; 120 g sesame oil; 30 g caramel color; 60 g crushed rock sugar; 100 g white sugar; 3 g five-spice powder; total 6 g cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cloves, cardamom; 120 g Shaoxing rice wine; 120 g aged vinegar; 120 g soy sauce; 12 g sliced ginger; to taste pork ribs (for lining the pot bottom, not listed in the main ingredient list)

Beijing-style crispy crucian carp—vibrant in color, with tender, plump flesh and crisp, fragrant bones—achieved through long, slow braising.

9 hours

Easy

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Ingredients

small live crucian carp (ideally about 10 cm long, cleaned of gills, scales, and entrails) 1 kg

scallion whites, cut into 10 cm long segments 600 g

sesame oil 120 g

caramel color 30 g

crushed rock sugar 60 g

white sugar 100 g

five-spice powder 3 g

cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cloves, cardamom total 6 g

Shaoxing rice wine 120 g

aged vinegar 120 g

soy sauce 120 g

sliced ginger 12 g

pork ribs (for lining the pot bottom, not listed in the main ingredient list) to taste

Instructions

clean the crucian carp

Remove the gills and scales from the crucian carp. Make a 2 cm long incision along the lower jaw to the belly to remove the entrails (be careful not to rupture the gall bladder), then rinse thoroughly with clean water.

prepare ingredients and seasoning liquid

Cut the scallion whites into 10 cm long segments. Mix the soy sauce, aged vinegar, and rice wine together to make the seasoning liquid.

arrange ingredients in the pot

Line the bottom of a clay pot with pork ribs, then add a layer of sliced ginger, followed by cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cloves, and cardamom. Arrange the crucian carp in a neat circle with heads pointing to the pot edge and tails toward the center (leave a small hole in the middle to form a chrysanthemum shape), then sprinkle with five-spice powder. Arrange a row of fish horizontally across the middle to cover the hole, sprinkle another layer of five-spice powder, then arrange the scallion segments on top of the fish in a chrysanthemum shape. Pour white sugar and crushed rock sugar into the center of the scallions, drizzle sesame oil and caramel color evenly over the scallions, then add most of the seasoning liquid.

braise

Move the clay pot to high heat and bring to a boil, then cover with a slightly smaller ceramic plate. Transfer to low heat to simmer. During simmering, ensure soup bubbles up around the edge of the ceramic plate; if no soup rises, add more seasoning liquid. Gradually add all remaining seasoning liquid using this method (this takes about 8-9 hours) until the fish is fully braised.

cool and plate

Then uncover the ceramic plate and let cool for 6-8 hours. First remove the scallion segments, then carefully take out the fish (take care to keep the fish shape intact). When serving, place a small amount of scallion on the fish and pour over the original braising liquid.