Szechuan Fish-Suan Cai Yu

Ingredients

• 1 fresh fish around 800g to 1000g
• 1 cup pickled mustard green
• 5 picked peppers (, optional)
• 10 whole Sichuan peppercorn seeds
• 10 dried pepper flakes or more as needed
• 5 green onions
• 1 inch root ginger (, sliced)
• 4 garlic cloves (, sliced and minced)
• 800 ml water or as needed
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp. white pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 4 tbsp. vegetable cooking oil
• 2 tbsp. starch

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prepare the fish ---

2. 2

   How to prepare the fish|Wash the fish carefully and separate the bones and fish fillet. Then slice the fillet into really thin slices and cut the bones into large sections. Separate the fish pieces and the bones.

3. 3

   Add salt in fish meat and bones. Mix for a while until the meat becomes sticky. Then wash the fish slices until they become almost transparent. Transfer out and drain. This step helps to remove any odd taste and give the meat a lovely texture. Repeat the process and clean the fish bones too.

4. 4

   Marinade the fish bones and fish fillet slices with salt, egg white, cornstarch and white pepper powder. Set aside.

5. 5

   --- Fry mustard green and aromatics ---

6. 6

   Add a small amount of oil in wok and fry mustard green until dried and place dried chili pepper and Sichuan peppercorn. Continue heating until aromatic. Pour extra oil and fry garlic, ginger and green onion white section until aromatic too. Transfer out.

7. 7

   --- Make the broth ---

8. 8

   Clean the wok and re-heat some oil, add the fish head and bones and fry until slightly browned. Place the fried mustard green in. Pour in 800ml hot water. Let the broth simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer the solid content to serving plate.

9. 9

   --- Cook the fish ---

10. 10

    Add fish slices in and cook for 30 seconds until they turn white. Transfer out immediately.

11. 11

    --- The highlight - pouring oil ---

12. 12

    Top with chopped garlic, Sichuan peppercorn and chopped green onions. Pour around 2 tablespoons of hot oil. Serve hot!