Spicy Chili Fish Head

Name: Spicy Chili Fish Head
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 whole, cleaned and scaled bighead carp fish head (about 2 lbs); 5-6, thinly sliced fresh red finger chilies; 3 tablespoons fermented chili bean paste (doubanjiang); 4 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 inch, julienned ginger; 4 cloves, minced garlic; 3, white and green parts separated scallions; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; a pinch white pepper

A bold Hunan-style dish featuring a whole fish head steamed with fermented chili bean paste and fresh red chilies. The tender, silky meat from the fatty cheek and collar is what makes this dish legendary.

45 min

Medium

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Story

This classic Hunan dish showcases the prized fatty meat from a bighead carp head. The trick is getting that delicate texture - steam just until the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily. The chili oil that pools around the fish is meant to be spooned over the meat.

Ingredients

bighead carp fish head (about 2 lbs) 1 whole, cleaned and scaled

fresh red finger chilies 5-6, thinly sliced

fermented chili bean paste (doubanjiang) 3 tablespoons

vegetable oil 4 tablespoons

ginger 1 inch, julienned

garlic 4 cloves, minced

scallions 3, white and green parts separated

light soy sauce 2 tablespoons

Shaoxing cooking wine 1 tablespoon

sugar 1 teaspoon

sesame oil 1 teaspoon

white pepper a pinch

Instructions

Prepare the fish head

Rinse the fish head under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Make 2-3 shallow slits on each side of the head to help flavors penetrate. Rub lightly with a pinch of salt and set aside.

Create the chili oil base

Heat vegetable oil in a small pan until it just begins to smoke. In a heatproof bowl, combine the doubanjiang, sliced red chilies, ginger, garlic, and white parts of the scallions. Carefully pour the hot oil over the mixture - it should sizzle vigorously. Let it rest for 2 minutes, then stir in soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, sesame oil, and white pepper.

Steam the fish

Place the fish head on a heatproof plate that fits inside your steamer. Spoon the chili oil mixture evenly over the top and around the fish. Bring water in your steamer to a rolling boil. Steam for 18-22 minutes until the flesh is opaque and pulls apart easily with a fork.

Finish and serve

Carefully remove the plate from the steamer. Sprinkle the green parts of the scallions over the top. For extra flavor, you can pour 2 more tablespoons of hot oil over the fish just before serving to bloom any remaining aromatics. Serve immediately with steamed rice.