Dry-Braised Pomfret
Score the pomfret in a crosshatch pattern and fry until deep reddish-brown. Add diced pork, winter bamboo shoots, pickled mustard greens, and seasonings; simmer over low heat until the sauce reduces and thickens.
Ingredients
fresh pomfret (about 750 g)
1
soy sauce
35 g
minced scallion and ginger
8 g
Shaoxing wine
4 g
dried red chili peppers
15 g
fine salt
4 g
pickled potherb mustard (xuelihong)
15 g
pork fat
20 g
rendered pork lard
1000 g
MSG
4 g
minced garlic
4 g
winter bamboo shoots
15 g
clear broth
250 g
white sugar
30 g
sesame oil
4 g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Clean the pomfret thoroughly, removing the gills and innards, and rinse well. Score both sides of the fish with parallel willow-leaf pattern cuts spaced about 0.6 cm apart, then rub evenly with soy sauce.
2
Step 2
Cut the pork fat, winter bamboo shoots, pickled potherb mustard, and dried red chili peppers all into 0.6 cm cubes.
3
Step 3
Heat oil in a wok until it reaches about 90% hot, then fry the fish at roughly 50% heat until it turns a deep jujube-red color; remove and drain off the oil. In a separate wok, heat oil and first add the diced pork fat, frying until the fat is rendered. Add the Shaoxing wine, minced scallion and ginger, minced garlic, diced winter bamboo shoots, diced pickled potherb mustard, and diced dried chili, and stir-fry briefly. Immediately add the white sugar, soy sauce, fine salt, and clear broth, and bring to a boil. Place the fish in the wok and simmer gently over low heat until the sauce becomes thick and concentrated. Lift the fish out and arrange it on a serving plate. Stir the MSG into the remaining sauce in the wok along with the sesame oil, then pour the sauce evenly over the fish and serve.
