Spicy Dry-Braised Ribbonfish
Spicy Dry-Braised Ribbonfish features Sichuan pepper, ginger, and sugar. Sichuan pepper helps lower blood lipids and is rich in carotene, while ginger helps dispel cold and sugar promotes blood circulation.
Story
This Spicy Dry-Braised Ribbonfish is a flavorful Chinese dish. The fish is marinated in high-proof white spirit to remove fishy odors, then fried and braised with aromatic spices, bean paste, and a savory sauce.
Ingredients
Frozen Ribbonfish
Flour
Sichuan Peppercorns
Chaotian Peppers
Garlic
Ginger
Green Onions
Pixian Bean Paste
White Sugar
Salt
Cooking Wine
Vinegar
White Pepper Powder
Chicken Essence
High-proof White Spirit
Instructions
1
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients.
2
Step 2
Rinse the Sichuan peppercorns. Chop the green onions, ginger, and garlic. Deseed the Chaotian peppers and cut them into sections.
3
Step 3
Clean and prepare the ribbonfish, cut into uniform pieces, add a little high-proof white spirit, salt, and Sichuan peppercorns, and marinate for about 10 minutes. (Marinating with high-proof white spirit can effectively remove the fishy smell of ribbonfish, better than cooking wine.)
4
Step 4
In a clean bowl, add half a bowl of water, then add a little white pepper powder, chicken essence, white sugar, vinegar, and cooking wine. Mix well. (The fish has been salted during marination, and the Pixian bean paste in step 10 is also salty, so no additional salt is needed in this sauce.)
5
Step 5
Drain the marinated ribbonfish and coat with a thin layer of dry flour. (If using a non-stick pan at home, this step can be omitted.)
6
Step 6
Heat oil in the pan until it is 70-80% hot, then add the ribbonfish pieces to fry.
7
Step 7
Fry the fish pieces until both sides are slightly golden, then remove and drain the oil.
8
Step 8
Leave a little oil in the pan, sauté the remaining Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, then remove and discard the peppercorns.
9
Step 9
Add the white parts of the green onions, ginger, garlic, and Chaotian peppers to the pan and stir-fry.
10
Step 10
Add an appropriate amount of Pixian bean paste and stir-fry over low heat until red oil appears.
11
Step 11
Pour in the prepared sauce and bring to a boil.
12
Step 12
Add the fried ribbonfish.
13
Step 13
Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to medium-low heat to thicken the sauce until it coats the ribbonfish. Sprinkle with green onions for garnish and serve.
14
Step 14
Adjust the amount of seasoning according to your own taste.
Main Dish
Air-Dried Sichuan Peppercorn Duck
Duck legs cured with crushed green Sichuan peppercorns, salt, and baijiu, then hung to air-dry and later steamed. The green peppercorns matter more than regular red ones—their numbing aroma sinks deeper into the meat. A high-proof Chinese liquor works best for the cure.
