Vinegar and Pepper Fish

Name: Vinegar and Pepper Fish
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 live carp (originally listed as main ingredient, but live mandarin fish is used in the steps); 10 g Shaoxing wine (i.e., the Shaoxing wine called for in the steps); 2 g MSG; 5 g salt (i.e., the refined salt called for in the steps); to taste shredded scallion (half of the scallion cut into shreds, half minced); to taste ginger juice; to taste ground white pepper; to taste white vinegar (i.e., the vinegar called for in the steps); to taste lard (i.e., the rendered lard called for in the steps); to taste cilantro (washed, sterilized, cut into sections); 500 g chicken stock (i.e., the chicken broth called for in the steps); 1 live mandarin fish (about 90 g, scaled, gilled, gutted, and scored); to taste minced scallion (the other half of the scallion minced); to taste minced ginger (used in the steps, not listed among the original ingredients); to taste sesame oil (final drizzle)

Beijing-Style Vinegar and Pepper Fish

This dish uses mandarin fish pre-scored with crosshatch cuts, simmered with pepper powder, shredded scallions, coriander, and other ingredients to create a tangy, spicy, appetite-whetting soup dish.

40 min

Easy

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Ingredients

live carp (originally listed as main ingredient, but live mandarin fish is used in the steps) 1

Shaoxing wine (i.e., the Shaoxing wine called for in the steps) 10 g

MSG 2 g

salt (i.e., the refined salt called for in the steps) 5 g

shredded scallion (half of the scallion cut into shreds, half minced) to taste

ginger juice to taste

ground white pepper to taste

white vinegar (i.e., the vinegar called for in the steps) to taste

lard (i.e., the rendered lard called for in the steps) to taste

cilantro (washed, sterilized, cut into sections) to taste

chicken stock (i.e., the chicken broth called for in the steps) 500 g

live mandarin fish (about 90 g, scaled, gilled, gutted, and scored) 1

minced scallion (the other half of the scallion minced) to taste

minced ginger (used in the steps, not listed among the original ingredients) to taste

sesame oil (final drizzle) to taste

Instructions

Preparing the fish

Scale the live mandarin fish, remove the gills and fins, slit open the belly to take out the innards, and wash clean. Briefly blanch in boiling water, then rinse with cold water and scrape off the black membrane on the outside of the fish. Score decorative patterns on both sides of the fish: a cross-hatch on one side and parallel slits on the other. Wash and sterilize the cilantro, then cut into 2 cm sections. Cut half of the scallion into 3.3 cm fine shreds and mince the other half.

Cooking

Pour the rendered lard into a wok and heat over high heat. Add the white pepper, minced scallion, and minced ginger in order, and stir-fry until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock, then add the ginger juice, Shaoxing wine, salt, and MSG. Blanch the mandarin fish in boiling water for 4–5 seconds so the scored cuts open up and the fishy smell dissipates, then immediately transfer the fish into the soup (scored side up). Once the soup comes back to a boil, move to low heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the shredded scallion, cilantro sections, and vinegar, then drizzle with sesame oil to finish.