Spicy Sichuan Poached Fish - Susanna Foo

#susannafoo #chef #homecooking #healthy #foodnetwork #sugabyfoo

Spicy Sichuan Poached Fish

This is a very popular fish dish in Szechuan province. The fish fillet is poached in a hot spicy broth with a lot of dried chili hot peppers, star anise, Szechwan peppercorn, and other Chinese spices. The fish becomes very tender, velvety, and full of spice flavorful broth.

I love this dish. It is like the French poached fish dish bouillabaisse but with a bolder and spicier flavor. What I don’t like is the version found in most Chinese restaurants with the fish swimming in heavy sauce with red chili oil on top and all the whole spices still floating in the dish. This version is much more refined.

Fish Marinate Ingredients:

1-pound skinless fish fillet (such as flounder, bass, cod, or halibut)
1 tbs cornstarch
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
2 tbs gin, vodka, or vermouth

Other Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced
2-inch ginger root, peeled and thinly julienne
4-star anise
1 tbs Sichuan peppercorn
1 tbsp fennel seed
8-10 dried chili hot pepper (depend on your spicy level)
1 tbs Korean dry hot pepper powder
3 tbs light olive oil or corn oil
4 cups chicken stock
Fresh ground black pepper
2 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup grape tomato, cut in half
1 cup diced scallion
Cilantro leaves

Instructions:

1) Wash the fish fillet with 1 tbs salt. Rinse under cold water until clean. Dry with a paper towel. Cut the fillet diagonally into ½ inch slices.

2) Mix vodka, 1 tsp salt, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Then add fillets, folding the fish fillet into the vodka mixture. Keep refrigerated for 2 hours or overnight

3) Bring water in a small pot. Add thinly sliced napa cabbage and cook for about 5 minutes until the napa cabbage becomes tender. Strain and keep on the side.

4) Heat 3 tbs oil in a medium stainless pot. Add star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, fennel seed, and sauté for 5 minutes until you can smell the aroma of the spices

5) Add garlic, ginger, and stir for another minute. Then add hot chili pepper, and Korean hot pepper powder and stir for one more minute.

6) Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the broth reduces to 2/3. Strain out and discard all the spices.

7) Wash and use the same pot. Bring the broth to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer. Slowly add the fillets and simmer until the fish is fully cooked through about 5 minutes. Add tomato and scallion and turn off the heat.

8) To serve, place the cooked Napa cabbage at the bottom of a serving dish, spoon the fillets with tomato and scallion over the Napa. Garnish with cilantro or other fresh herbs.

Chef’s Note:

Save the leftover broth! It can be used to make a wonderful spicy vegetable soup. Or serve as a fish soup dish with all the broth.

I prefer to use skinless very fresh white fish fillets. You can use any very fresh fish fillets, such as flounder, bass, cod, or halibut.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-===-=—=-==-=-=-==-=

Please visit me on my social media channels!

Instagram:   / susannafoo  
Facebook:   / susanna-foo-116468943593922  
Twitter:   / susannafoo  
YouTube Channel:    / susannafoohomecooking