Oil-Braised Phoenix-Tail Fish

Name: Oil-Braised Phoenix-Tail Fish
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Ingredients: 1000 g Live yellow-spotted fry fish (also known as pouting silver minnow); 100 g Tender Chinese cabbage heart; 50 g Large scallion (green onion); 20 g Fresh ginger; 10 g Sichuan peppercorns; 10 g Star anise; 10 g Cinnamon bark; 250 g Peanut oil; 10 g Soy sauce; 15 g Shaoxing wine; 20 g White sugar; to taste Chicken broth (no specific quantity in original); to taste Sesame oil (no specific quantity in original)

A Shandong-style braised anchovy dish—savory-sweet and well-balanced, with a mellow aroma and tender fish bones.

1h 10m

Easy

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Ingredients

Live yellow-spotted fry fish (also known as pouting silver minnow) 1000 g

Tender Chinese cabbage heart 100 g

Large scallion (green onion) 50 g

Fresh ginger 20 g

Sichuan peppercorns 10 g

Star anise 10 g

Cinnamon bark 10 g

Peanut oil 250 g

Soy sauce 10 g

Shaoxing wine 15 g

White sugar 20 g

Chicken broth (no specific quantity in original) to taste

Sesame oil (no specific quantity in original) to taste

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients

Scale, remove the gills and innards from the yellow-spotted fry fish, and rinse clean. Cut the Chinese cabbage heart into four wedges. Cut the scallions into 12 cm segments. Slice the ginger. Wrap the Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon bark in cheesecloth to form a spice sachet and set aside.

Fry the fish

Add the peanut oil to a wok and heat over medium until it reaches about 60% hot (approximately 150°C). Fry the fish one at a time until golden brown, then remove and drain off excess oil.

Braise until glossy

Clean a wok thoroughly and place a trivet at the bottom. Lay the spice sachet on top, then arrange the fried fish neatly in the wok with the heads pointing outward and tails pointing toward the center. Lay the scallions over the fish and the cabbage heart on top of the scallions, distributing them evenly and covering snugly. Mix the chicken broth, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and white sugar together, pour the mixture into the wok, and cover tightly with the lid. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then move to low and simmer. When the liquid is reduced to about 2/5 of the original, add the sesame oil and switch to a very low simmer until the sauce becomes thick and concentrated. When the liquid has reduced to about 1/5, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool. Lift out the cabbage and scallions onto a serving plate, then transfer the fish to a large platter to serve.