Szechuan Fish (Shui Zhu Yu)

Name: Szechuan Fish (Shui Zhu Yu)
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 700g White Fish Fillet, thinly sliced (e.g., grass carp, tilapia, or cod); 1 Egg White; 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine; 1 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp White Pepper; 1 tbsp Cornstarch; 300g Napa Cabbage, cut into bite-size pieces; 200g Bean Sprouts, rinsed and drained; 2 stalks of Celery, sliced on the bias; 3 tbsp Neutral Oil, for frying the paste; 2 1/2 tbsp Doubanjiang, Sichuan chili bean paste, finely chopped; 6 Garlics, minced; 20g Ginger, sliced; 2 Scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths; 12 Dried Red Chiles, Sichuan facing-heaven or similar; seeded if desired; 2 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns; 750ml Chicken Stock, or water; 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce; 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine; 1 tsp Sugar; 3 Garlics, finely minced; for topping; 1 tbsp Chili Flakes, Sichuan style; or to taste; 1 tsp Ground Sichuan Peppercorns, freshly toasted and ground; 3 tbsp Chili Oil, Sichuan style; 1 handful of Cilantro, roughly chopped; 2 Scallions, finely sliced

Szechuan Fish (Shui Zhu Yu) is a fiery, aromatic Chinese classic featuring tender poached white fish in a mouth-numbing, chili-laced broth. Layers of savory doubanjiang, toasted Sichuan peppercorns and bright aromatics are balanced by a bed of crisp napa cabbage and bean sprouts, finished with fragrant chili oil and fresh cilantro for a truly addictive dish.

Szechuan Fish (Shui Zhu Yu) is a fiery, aromatic Chinese classic featuring tender poached white fish in a mouth-numbing, chili-lac... Show more

Traditional Chinese Recipe

Health Grade

A+ · Excellent

Rating

4.2

Time

50 min

Price

2,41 €

Calories

589 kcal

low calorie

healthy

high protein

low carb

Method

Prep the ingredients

Pat the white fish fillet dry and slice 700 g into thin, bite-size pieces if needed. Cut 300 g of napa cabbage into bite-size chunks, slice 2 stalks of celery on the bias, rinse and drain 200 g of bean sprouts, slice 20 g of ginger, and halve 12 dried red chiles, shaking out some seeds if you want less heat. Trim 4 scallions: cut 2 into 5 cm lengths for the broth and thinly slice 2 for the finish. Peel 9 cloves of garlic: mince 6 cloves for the broth and mince 3 cloves very finely for the topping, then keep everything in separate bowls so the cooking goes smoothly.

Marinate the fish

In a bowl, gently toss the sliced fish with 1 egg white, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp white pepper, and 1 tbsp cornstarch until every piece looks lightly glossy and tacky. Let it sit for 15 minutes so the coating tightens up and the fish stays tender in the broth.

Toast peppercorns

Put 1 tsp of Sichuan peppercorns for the topping in a dry pan over low heat and toast them for 1 minute, just until they smell citrusy. Let them cool for a moment, then grind them finely with a mortar and pestle and set them aside.

Fry the paste

Heat 3 tbsp of the neutral oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high. Add the doubanjiang and stir-fry for 1 minute until the oil turns red, then add the minced garlic, ginger, dried red chiles, 2 tsp of the whole Sichuan peppercorns, and the scallion lengths. Keep stirring for 1 minute more until the mixture is glossy and very fragrant.

Simmer the broth

Pour in 750 ml of the chicken stock, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp of the remaining Shaoxing wine, and 1 tsp sugar, scraping the bottom so the paste dissolves into the liquid. Bring the broth to a boil, then lower it to a steady simmer for 8 minutes until it tastes deep, savory, and slightly spicy.

Blanch the vegetables

Add the napa cabbage and celery to the simmering broth and cook for 1 minute. Add the bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute more, just until they barely wilt. Lift the vegetables out with a slotted spoon and spread them in the bottom of a deep serving bowl.

Poach the fish

Slide the marinated fish into the simmering broth in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes, nudging the slices gently so they don't stick together. As soon as the fish turns opaque and just firm, lift it out and lay it over the vegetables, then ladle the hot broth on top.

Garnish and serve

Scatter the reserved finely minced garlic, 1 tbsp chili flakes, the ground Sichuan peppercorns you toasted earlier, the chopped cilantro, and the finely sliced scallions over the fish, then drizzle 3 tbsp of the chili oil over the top. Spoon a little of the hot broth over the aromatics so they bloom, then serve immediately while everything is still steaming.