July 25, 2017

Braised Yellow Croaker Fish and Pickled Vegetable Soup 雪菜大湯黃魚

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This classic authentic Shanghai dish is simple to make but simply fabulous to eat.  We recently made it for the first time and then had to make it again and again and again.  It is so yummilicious!  

The Braised Yellow Croaker Fish and Pickled Vegetable Soup 雪菜大湯黃魚 is a meltingly tender and tasty braised fish bathed in a beautiful white fish soup with preserved vegetable, bamboo and jin hwa ham until all flavors are melded together.  Not only do you have delicious braised fish to eat,  you also get a truly delectable soup to sip on, a time saving two in one dish!

Braised, Yellow Croaker Fish, fish, Pickled Vegetable, snow vegetable, pickled mustard, stew, Soup, 雪菜, 大湯, 竹筍, 黃魚, shanghai, traditional, recipe, authentic

The fish used in many Shanghai fish dishes is the yellow croaker, or 黃魚.  I remember when growing up I always was hearing about the 黃魚, literally translated as "yellow fish".  I thought at the time that it meant yellow fish and only after growing up did I realize that it was the actual name of the fish!  Dumb kid...  

But about this yellow croaker fish, it is adored by the Shanghainese for its tender sweet flesh that doesn't fall apart after a bit of cooking.  Perfect for all the braising dishes the Shanghainese love.  This fish is actually pretty common in Hong Kong.  We got ours fresh and lovely from the wet market.

Braised, Yellow Croaker Fish, fish, Pickled Vegetable, snow vegetable, pickled mustard, stew, Soup, 雪菜, 大湯, 竹筍, 黃魚, shanghai, traditional, recipe, authentic
Braised, Yellow Croaker Fish, fish, Pickled Vegetable, snow vegetable, pickled mustard, stew, Soup, 雪菜, 大湯, 竹筍, 黃魚, shanghai, traditional, recipe, authentic

The pickled vegetable used in this fish soup is the famous "Snow Vegetable" or 雪菜, one of the many, many pickled and preserved vegetables used in Chinese cooking.  The snow vegetable is basically just salt preserved mustard greens.  

To prepare for using in soups and braises it needs to be rinsed in water a few times to reduce the saltiness to manageable levels, as the picked veg is pretty salty.  Also adjust salt level in dish to accommodate salt from the pickled veg.

 We bought our snow vegetable from the tofu vendor at our local wet market where they make it themselves. It was in whole pieces as is shown in top photo above.  Snow Vegetable is also sold pre chopped, as shown in bottom photo.   You can also find pickled snow vegetables in vacuum packed packages and cans at your local asian grocer.

Braised, Yellow Croaker Fish, fish, Pickled Vegetable, snow vegetable, pickled mustard, stew, Soup, 雪菜, 大湯, 竹筍, 黃魚, shanghai, traditional, recipe, authentic

Another distinctive flavor in this fish soup is the bamboo shoot 竹筍.  Yummm...I love bamboo shoots.  So crunchily tender, we always fight over who gets the last bamboo shoot.  

We like to use the chili oil preserved bamboo shoots that come in slices (known variously as 辣油香筍 or 辣油玉筍) that are already flavored to tender perfection, we find that they are much tastier than the plain canned bamboo shoots.  Just wash off the chili oil and it's ready to use.  (Even though chili is used, it's not really spicy at all.)

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To add the final touch of flavor and depth to the soup is the Jinhua Ham 金華火腿.  (Find out more about Chinese Jinhua ham here.)  The Jinhua Ham is the secret to the sauce, so to speak, of many a Chinese sauce and soup.  The Chinese cook adds a few slivers in and bumps up the flavor a couple of notches effortlessly.

The cooking is simple.  Just fry the fish til golden, then pour in soup with jinhua ham, bamboo shoots and pickled vegetable.  Let soup cook a few minutes until the fish is done and the flavors have infused together and you're ready to serve this two in one fish and soup dish.  

If you want to try to make an authentic Shanghai fish dish, this is the one to make!  It's really so easy and oh so yummilicious!

Braised, Yellow Croaker Fish, fish, Pickled Vegetable, snow vegetable, pickled mustard, stew, Soup, 雪菜, 大湯, 竹筍, 黃魚, shanghai, traditional, recipe, authentic
Braised Yellow Croaker Fish & Pickled Vegetable Soup Recipe 雪菜大湯黃魚
(adapted from 上海回味 by 林憶蓮)  Prep: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:


Directions:

Clean the fish under water, then dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle salt all over inside and outside of fish.  Lightly coat with cornstarch.  Shake off excess starch.

Test pickled snow vegetable for saltiness.  If very salty rinse in cool water to reduce saltiness.  Squeeze dry and chop to 1/4" lengths.

Heat oil in wok over high heat.  Add in ginger and the white sections of spring onion (reserving the green sections) and stir a few moments until aromatic.  Lower heat to low and add in fish.  Fry until golden brown, then flip and repeat on other side.

Heat up the stock in a pot that can fit the fish.  Slip in the fried fish, cover and simmer for 5 mins.  Add in the snow vegetable, bamboo shoots, Jinhua ham, reserved green spring onions, rice wine and boiling water.  Cover pot and let simmer for 10 mins over low heat.  

Carefully scoop fish and soup into a soup bowl, sprinkle white pepper and serve hot.  Enjoy!

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4 comments:

  1. This is a healthy and delicious dish to eat...

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mary Ann - Yes, it is quite healthy and yummy to eat. ~ellen

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  2. Replies
    1. Hey Broodlee - thank you for reading this blog and wish you many happy food adventures! ~ellen

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