Maybe you’ve eaten braised fish, which is rich in flavor in a delicious broth. So have you ever eaten dry-braised fish? It is very similar to braised fish, but there are differences. This dish of dry-braised fish does not have much broth, the whole is not very moist, and the taste of this dish is a little sweet, because of the combination of rice wine: this dish is full of special taste. If this intrigues you, please try cooking with me!
Tips for preparing dry-braised carp with doubanjiang
Dry-braised carp is fried, then braised. Before frying the fish, pat the inner and outer surface of the flesh dry with a clean towel. Any water droplets on the fish will turn to steam in the hot oil and cause the hot oil to spatter, scalding your hands.
Take care to keep the fish meat intact. While cooking, don’t turn the fish, just take a large spoon and pour the surrounding boiling broth over the fish.
When chopping the pork and other ingredients, the exact size of the pieces is not important as long as they are small, but the size needs to be consistent when chopping. Smaller pieces cook faster, and having consistent size makes the pieces cook evenly.
After cleaning the fish, make X-shaped cuts on both sides of the back of the fish, usually 2-3 “X”s for a small fish. The length of the “X” does not need to extend to the belly of the fish. These cuts serve three important purposes:
- Speeds up the cooking of the fish
- Keeps the skin from pulling away from the flesh during cooking, keeping the fish beautiful in the finished dish
- Makes the flesh of the fish more flavorful, by allowing the broth to penetrate the skin
Dry-braised Carp
Equipment
- 1 wok
Ingredients
- 1 Crucian Carp or similar freshwater fish
Accessory Ingredients:
- 2 ounces pork fat and lean, such as shoulder or Boston butt
- 2-3 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 ounces winter bamboo shoots
- 1 scallion
- 3 slices fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 pickled red pepper (er jing tiao)
- 1 green garlic
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
Seasoning
- Salt (to taste)
- 2 tsp white sugar
- ½ tsp MSG (optional)
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp Pixian Doubanjiang bean paste
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Preparation
- Kill and clean the fish, rinse the body and body cavity. Peel and wash the green garlic, onion, ginger, and garlic.1 Crucian Carp
- Use a knife to make “X” shaped cuts on the surface of the fish, about 2 to 3 mm deep.
- NOTE: Make the "X" cuts on both sides of the back of the fish, and make a different number of "X"s depending on the size of the fish, usually 2-3 "X"s for small fish. The length of the "X" does not need to extend to the belly of the fish. These cuts serve three important purposes: to speed up the cooking of the fish; to keep the skin, as it shrinks during cooking, from pulling away from the flesh, keeping the fish beautiful in the finished dish; and making the flesh of the fish more flavorful, by allowing the broth to penetrate the skin.
- Chop the pork into small chunks, about 5mm x 5mm (3/16 in). Chop the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, minced green garlic, scallions, ginger, and garlic. Mince the pickled peppers and doubanjiang bean paste together.
Cooking
- Add enough oil to cover the fish to the wok, heat the oil to 150° – 180° C (300° – 355° F). Pat the fish inside and out with a clean towel to absorb any water. Then add the fish and fry until golden brown and remove. Remove the oil.1 Crucian Carp
- Add 20ml (4 tsps) of oil to the wok again, fry the pork until it changes color.2 ounces pork
- Then add the ginger, garlic, bamboo shoots, doubanjiang bean paste with pickled pepper, mushrooms, and the dark soy sauce.2-3 shiitake mushrooms, 2 ounces winter bamboo shoots, 3 slices fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 2 pickled red pepper, 2 tsp Pixian Doubanjiang bean paste, 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- Next, add the fish and enough water to cover the fish. Then season the broth with salt, sugar, monosodium glutamate, light soy sauce, and rice wine.1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, Salt , 2 tsp white sugar, 1 tsp light soy sauce, ½ tsp MSG
- After cooking for 3-4 minutes, add the green onion and green garlic. Boil the fish until soft, remove it and place it on a plate. Add sesame oil to the stock in the pot, heat until thick and pour over the fish.1 scallion, 1 green garlic, ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- Finish.
Notes
Nutrition
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