This post gives me so much pleasure. It is always a delight to share the joy that food brings to us but especially so in this case. Because this dish is soooo good, like food for the soul good. Comforting, seductive, addictive, pleasing in all ways is the Sichuan Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens. One heck of a sexy dish if you ask me.
This showstopper seafood dish can almost be a meal in itself, to be shared in a Chinese style family diner. You could add another dish or two, we added a vegetable dish along with white rice and it was just right for the three of us. Sichuan Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens, also known as Suan Cai Yu 酸菜魚 is a resplendent dish full of velvety tender fish slices, delicately soured pickled mustard greens, crunchy sprouts and slippery vermicelli all immersed in a most deliciously addictive tangy savory soup.
For the fish we used the local favorite fresh water grass carp 鯇魚 which is what is traditionally used for this dish. You can get this fish really fresh at the wet market from fish shops that exclusively sell fresh water fish.
If you can't get a hold of carp you can substitute with any other kind of firm white fish. Emphasis on firm as the fish will be sliced pretty thin and you don't want the fish to be in pieces at the end of cooking.
The trick to slicing the fish for this dish is to slice it quite thin. There are bones, you see, and if you slice them thin enough the bones are small enough so as to not interfere with the eating.
If you're using grass carp or any other thick filleted fish you can just slice straight down. If you want to get fancy you can slice double thickness first and then halve that slice, but don't cut all the way through. That way you can open up the slice and have a single thickness at double length. Looks pretty too and that's how the restaurants do it.
If using a firm white fish that has thin fillets you will need to cut at an angle to achieve wider slices.
Here's a magic trick: do this to make your fish velvety, smooth and tender as heck! Marinate fish slices with a bit of salt, sugar and wine. Add starch like corn starch or potato starch and mix til all is coated. Lastly add oil to coat everything. Let it sit. Your fish slices will come out oh so tender and flavorful!
Now here’s the reason this fish dish has conquered the hearts of Chinese everywhere even though this dish is originally a Sichuan specialty: pickled mustard greens 酸菜! The delicate sourness of the pickled greens permeates this dish to lend a perfect balance of distinctive addictive tanginess that is like no other!
You can buy pickled mustard greens at the wet market and at the supermarkets (but these might have preservatives.) At the wet market look around the vegetable stalls and you will see vendors that sell all kinds of pickled vegetables. Be sure to buy the big mustard greens. To see a photo of what a big pickled mustard green looks like and to learn how we made our own homemade pickled mustard greens click on the link. To buy online click here.
The original strong peppery taste of the fresh mustard green translates to a most delightful tanginess when pickled. This delicate sourness permeates the whole dish to the delight of palates all over as attested by the bourgeoning popularity of this fish soup. It’s everywhere these days!
To add texture and crunch soybean sprouts 黃豆芽 are added. Yummy, I love soybean sprouts!
Well, let me quantify that. I love all things soybean sproutish. Their crunchy stems. Their nutty beans heads. The fact that these sprouts are so nutritionally good for you. Everything, like I said, except their wee roots. Each sprout has a root! And they must be plucked! And that takes a freaking long time to pluck off each and every root!
But no fear, we have a hack or two to save the day. First one is if you buy them in a pack the sprouts are always neatly packed with roots at one end. In this case just slice off almost all the roots off in one go. Awesome, amiright?!
Second hack is to just leave the roots on. It doesn’t affect the taste at all, just not as pretty to look at.
To make this dish more filling you can add some cellophane noodles 粉絲, also known as vermicelli bean threads or glass noodles. Or you can leave it out entirely. We like to add a bit because the slipperiness of the cellophane noodles is a pleasing textural contrast. And because it’s always fun to slurp a bit of tasty noodles!
The aromatics for this dish are simple. Just garlic, ginger and chili peppers. And, of course, this being a Sichuan dish, the Sichuan pepper 四川花椒. These unique peppers are one of the basis of Sichuan cuisine and is famous for its unique citrusy aroma and its mouth numbing properties.
We first stir fry all the aromatics expect the Sichuan pepper in some hot oil to release their aromas. Then the pickled mustard greens are added and stir fried until fragrant.
Next the vermicelli is layered over and then the sprouts. The top layer is the fish slices, arranged nicely in a single overlapping layer. Add the soup stock in and let the pot simmer only long enough to cook the fish. Doesn't it looks amazing already!
So what's the final touch to this showstopper of a dish? A sprinkle of Sichuan pepper over the fish slices is followed by a drizzle of boiling oil that releases the aromatic oils of the peppers. Oh my gosh, just smell that intoxicating, citrusy scent!
Pretty simple, eh? But SO yummilicious. This darn dish is so additive. It’s one of those made in food heaven combinations. A real classic and the oohs and aahs when you bring this dish to the table!! Very pleasing all around. Try it and see if you don’t agree!
Sichuan Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens Recipe | Suan Cai Yu 酸菜魚
Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 7 mins
Ingredients:
Fish and Marinade:
- 1 lb grass carp 鯇魚, 450g
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp rice wine
- 1 1/2 tsp potato starch (or corn starch)
- 1 tbsp oil
Everything else:
- 10 oz soy bean sprouts 黃豆芽, 300g
- 1.76 oz cellophane noodles 粉絲, 50g
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 chili peppers, sliced
- 2 cups chopped pickled mustard greens 酸菜
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppers 花椒
- 2 cups chicken stock, 475 ml
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp Sichuan pepper oil 花椒粉 (optional)
- 1 heaping tbsp chopped spring onion
- 1 chili, sliced lengthwise (for garnish)
Directions:
Prepare the fish: Wash and dry fish. Using a sharp knife, slice the fish into thin slices about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick. Mix fish slices with with salt, sugar and rice wine. Add starch and mix. Add 1 tbsp oil and mix. Let marinate for 10-15 mins.
Prepare everything else: Wash soybean sprouts and remove the roots if desired.
Put the cellophane noodles in a bowl and add boiling water to cover. Cover bowl and let soak for 5 mins or until the noodles are soft and pliable. Pour hot water out. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
Stir fry aromatics: In a hot wok, add 2 tbsp oil. Add in minced ginger, chilis and garlic and stir fry for 15 secs or until fragrant. Add in chopped preserved mustard greens and stir fry for 1-2 mins until fragrant.
Layer ingredients on: The rest of the ingredients for this delicious soup are layered into the pot. First a layer of cellophanes noodles goes into the pot. Then a layer of soy bean sprouts. Lastly a layer of fish slices. Arrange the fish slices into a pleasing overlapping pattern that covers the entire surface.
Cook: Pour in stock to level of the fish. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer, cover and let cook for 5 mins or until the fish is cooked through. Pour out carefully into large dish for presentation, keeping the fish on the top layer. Or you could simply serve it as is in the cooking pot!
Add Sichuan pepper: One minute before the fish's simmering time is up heat up 1 tbsp of oil until very hot and steam rises. When fish is done sprinkle whole Sichuan pepper over the fish. Drizzle your very hot oil over the peppercorns. There will be sizzles as the peppercorns cook in the oil and also a bit of splatter so be careful when doing this.
Present: Bring fish to the table. Drizzle Sichuan peppercorn oil over if using. Sprinkle chopped spring onions over. Add sliced chili to garnish. Serve hot and yummilicious!
Fish-licious at The Hong Kong Cookery:
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