Pan-Braised Yellow Croaker

Name: Pan-Braised Yellow Croaker
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 750 g Yellow croaker (scales, gills, and entrails removed, cleaned); 20 g Hydrated wood ear mushroom (cut into thin strips); 15 g Ham (cut into thin strips); 20 g Hydrated bamboo shoot slices (cut into thin strips); 20 g Bok choy (cut into thin strips); 5 g Fine salt (for seasoning and marinating); 15 g Shaoxing wine (for seasoning and marinating); 200 g Peanut oil (for frying); 30 g Starch (for coating); 10 g Scallion (cut into strips); 15 g Ginger (cut into strips); 5 g Garlic (sliced); 20 g Sugar (for seasoning); 20 g Vinegar (for seasoning); 100 g Stock (for braising); to taste Dry flour (for coating); to taste Egg (beaten, for coating)

A classic Shandong dish: yellow croaker is deboned, scored with a decorative cut, pan-fried until golden, then braised with seasonings for a tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture and rich, fragrant flavor.

50 min

Easy

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Ingredients

Yellow croaker (scales, gills, and entrails removed, cleaned) 750 g

Hydrated wood ear mushroom (cut into thin strips) 20 g

Ham (cut into thin strips) 15 g

Hydrated bamboo shoot slices (cut into thin strips) 20 g

Bok choy (cut into thin strips) 20 g

Fine salt (for seasoning and marinating) 5 g

Shaoxing wine (for seasoning and marinating) 15 g

Peanut oil (for frying) 200 g

Starch (for coating) 30 g

Scallion (cut into strips) 10 g

Ginger (cut into strips) 15 g

Garlic (sliced) 5 g

Sugar (for seasoning) 20 g

Vinegar (for seasoning) 20 g

Stock (for braising) 100 g

Dry flour (for coating) to taste

Egg (beaten, for coating) to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Yellow Croaker

Clean the yellow croaker thoroughly, removing scales, gills, and entrails. Cut off the head from the lower jaw and split it into two pieces. Slice the fish open along the backbone to remove the large bones, butterfly-cutting down to the belly while keeping the tail attached so the fish opens like a book. With the skin side down, score a decorative crosshatch pattern into the flesh.

Marinate

Sprinkle the fish, including the head, evenly with fine salt and Shaoxing wine, and let it marinate until the flavors are absorbed.

Coat

Beat the egg in a bowl until smooth. Coat the fish head and body thoroughly with dry flour, then dip them into the beaten egg to coat evenly.

Pan-Fry

Fry the coated fish in hot oil until golden brown, then transfer to a strainer to drain off excess oil.

Stir-Fry the Accompaniments

Heat peanut oil in a wok over medium heat until it reaches about 150°C (six-tenths hot). Add the scallion strips, ginger strips, and garlic slices to bloom the aroma, then add the wood ear mushroom strips, ham strips, bamboo shoot strips, and bok choy strips and briefly stir-fry.

Braise

Add the stock, yellow croaker, Shaoxing wine, fine salt, sugar, and vinegar, bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the liquid is nearly dry. Transfer the fish to a plate and arrange it back into a whole-fish shape, then spoon the remaining sauce over the top before serving.