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Grilled Fish Recipe

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★★

Essential Ingredients and Tools

  • Grass carp (have the butcher at the farmers' market or supermarket clean and gut it)
  • Green onions
  • Cooking wine
  • White pepper powder
  • Table salt
  • Garlic
  • Cinnamon stick
  • Star anise
  • Bay leaves
  • Green Sichuan peppercorns
  • Dried chili segments
  • Lantern peppers
  • Hot pot base (optional)
  • Tofu skin
  • Mung bean sprouts
  • Onion
  • Doubanjiang (broad bean paste)
  • Celery segments
  • Roasted peanuts
  • White sesame seeds
  • Cilantro (optional, adds flavor but can be omitted based on preference)

Quantities (Per Serving)

  • Grass carp: approx. 1.5 kg (3 jin)
  • Green onions: half a stalk
  • Cooking oil: 20 ml
  • Cooking wine: 10-15 ml
  • Table salt: 5-10 g
  • White pepper powder: 5-10 g
  • Cinnamon stick: one small piece
  • Star anise: two pieces
  • Garlic cloves: eight
  • Bay leaves: two
  • Green Sichuan peppercorns: a small handful
  • Dried chili segments: 10 pieces
  • Lantern peppers: 4 pieces
  • Celery segments: two stalks
  • Onion: half an onion
  • Tofu skin: one sheet

Instructions

  • Prepare the grass carp (approx. 1.5 kg): Cut open along the back. Make several shallow slashes along the back on both sides, being careful not to cut into the belly, as this may cause the fish to fall apart.
  • You can rinse the fish with hot water to remove slime, or scrub it under running water with a brush until the surface is no longer slippery.
  • Place the fish in a container. Marinate by rubbing it with cooking wine, 10 g of white pepper powder, and 5 g of salt. Let it sit for 20 minutes to absorb the flavors.
  • Cut half a green onion into chunks. Slice garlic cloves in half. Place the green onion, garlic, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick in a container.
  • Split the dried chili segments in half and place them in a container with the lantern peppers.
  • Cut the celery into small segments.
  • Blanch the mung bean sprouts.
  • Blanch the tofu skin, then cut it into thin strips.
  • Slice the onion into strips.
  • Grill the fish:
  • If you have an oven, brush oil on a baking tray, place the fish skin-side down, and bake until both sides are golden brown. Sprinkle with cumin powder.
  • If you don't have an oven, heat oil in a pan. Sprinkle 2 g of salt on both sides of the pan before adding the grass carp. Do not move the fish immediately; let one side set before flipping. Fry until both sides are golden brown, sprinkle with cumin powder, and transfer to a plate.
  • Heat 20 ml of cooking oil in a pot. Once hot, add the green onion, garlic, star anise, and bay leaves, and stir-fry until fragrant.
  • Add half a pack of hot pot base and 15-20 g of doubanjiang. Stir-fry until red oil emerges.
  • Add 5 g of white sugar, 10 g of salt, and 5 ml of light soy sauce for seasoning. Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients and bring to a boil.
  • Add the celery segments, mung bean sprouts, and tofu skin strips in order. Do not cook them thoroughly; just blanch them briefly. Then layer the onion strips on top, followed by the grilled fish.
  • Add the dried chili segments, lantern peppers, and green Sichuan peppercorns.
  • Heat oil in a separate small pan until hot, then pour it over the chilies to release their aroma.
  • Finally, sprinkle with roasted peanuts, chopped green onions, white sesame seeds, and cilantro.
  • Simmer for 5-6 minutes. The dish is now ready.

Example of the finished dish

Additional Information

  • Technical Summary: The amounts of salt, black pepper, cumin powder, cooking oil, light soy sauce, and sugar used in this dish should be adjusted according to personal taste and ingredient ratios. There is no need to strictly adhere to the quantities listed above.

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improving the process outlined in this guide, please submit an Issue or a Pull request.