Deboned Braised Silver Carp Head

Name: Deboned Braised Silver Carp Head
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 (about 2250 g) Silver carp head (scaled, gilled, split into two halves); 24 Choy sum (washed, stems trimmed into an olive shape); 10 g Scallion (5 g used with ginger slices for cooking the fish head); 10 g Ginger (5 g used with scallion knot for cooking the fish head); 50 g Shaoxing wine; 5 g Fine salt; 500 g (about 150 g used) Rendered pork fat (for blanching choy sum and braising fish head); 750 g Pork bone broth; a pinch MSG; a pinch White pepper; a pinch Wet cornstarch slurry (for thickening); a pinch Shredded garlic chives (for garnish)

A traditional Jiangsu specialty: deboned silver carp head braised with baby bok choy hearts in a rich, milky-white broth. The flesh is tender, succulent, and full of delicate flavor.

55 min

Easy

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Ingredients

Silver carp head (scaled, gilled, split into two halves) 1 (about 2250 g)

Choy sum (washed, stems trimmed into an olive shape) 24

Scallion (5 g used with ginger slices for cooking the fish head) 10 g

Ginger (5 g used with scallion knot for cooking the fish head) 10 g

Shaoxing wine 50 g

Fine salt 5 g

Rendered pork fat (for blanching choy sum and braising fish head) 500 g (about 150 g used)

Pork bone broth 750 g

MSG a pinch

White pepper a pinch

Wet cornstarch slurry (for thickening) a pinch

Shredded garlic chives (for garnish) a pinch

Instructions

Prepare the fish head

Scale and remove the gills from the silver carp head, then wash it clean with water. Use a knife to split it into two halves through the lower back, then rinse away the blood with fresh water. Place it in a pot, add water to submerge the fish head, add 5 g of scallion knot, 5 g of ginger slices, and 25 g of Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, then move to low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and briefly immerse it in cold water. Over the water surface, hold it with your left hand, fish side facing down, and with your right hand, remove the fish bones one by one. Place the deboned fish head, fish side down, on a bamboo mat.

Prepare the choy sum

Wash the choy sum and trim the heads into an olive shape. Heat a wok over high heat, add rendered pork fat, and bring it to about 50% hot. Blanch the choy sum until just cooked, pour off the oil from the wok, then add a small amount of pork bone broth, salt, and MSG. After simmering for a few minutes, remove the choy sum and arrange it at the bottom of a serving platter as a bed.

Braise the fish head

Heat a wok over high heat, add 75 g of pork fat, and bring to about 50% hot. Add the scallion and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the fish head meat. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and pork bone broth, and once it boils, add salt and MSG. Move to low heat and braise for 10 minutes. Switch to high heat to reduce and thicken the sauce, adjust the seasoning, add a small amount of white pepper, thicken with the wet cornstarch slurry, drizzle in 50 g of hot rendered pork fat, then pour everything over the choy sum on the serving platter. Garnish with shredded garlic chives and serve.