Cooking Methods for Fish

1 Braised Fish

[Ingredients]
Fish ………… 400g
Soybean oil …… 35g
Cooked bamboo shoots …… 50g
Soy sauce …… 40g
Shaoxing wine …… 15g
Sugar …… 25g
Salt …… 1g
Green onions (cut into segments) …… 15g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) …… 2g
Rendered pork fat …… 65g
Water …… 350g

[Cooking Instructions]

Clean and process the fish, cut into rectangular pieces about 3.6 cm long and 3 cm wide. Cut the bamboo shoots into dices.
Heat a wok over high heat, add some oil, then add soybean oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the fish pieces. Gently shake the wok to sear the fish until the skin is hardened and changes color. Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Stir-fry until the fish is colored, then add some water and cover. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. Add 20g of rendered pork fat, cover, and simmer over low heat for about half an hour until the sauce thickens further. Add the bamboo shoots and another 20g of rendered pork fat, then continue to simmer over low heat for 15 minutes until the fish is tender and the sauce becomes gelatinous. Return the wok to high heat, add MSG and the remaining 25g of rendered pork fat, shake the wok gently to coat the fish with the sauce. Add the green onion segments, transfer to a serving plate, and serve hot.

[Cooking Tips]

Use cold water to cook the fish for a glossy sauce.
Braising fish requires patience; do not use starch for thickening. The key lies in simmering over low heat until tender.

[Flavor Characteristics]

The fish used, known as the White Gizzard Shad or “Baiji Yu,” is renowned for its tender meat and minimal bones. This dish highlights its freshness and savory flavor.
The dish has a vibrant red color and a rich, gelatinous sauce due to its long cooking time, making the fish tender and delicious without being greasy.

2 White Sauce Fish

[Ingredients]
1 whole fish …… 1250g
Sugar …… 5g
Bamboo shoots …… 100g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) …… 2g
Shaoxing wine …… 30g
Scallion (tied into a knot) …… 1
Salt …… 3g
Ginger …… 2 slices
Pork fat …… 150g

[Cooking Instructions]

Scale, gut, and clean the fish thoroughly. Place it on a cutting board, cut off the fins and head, and remove the tail. Divide the middle section of the fish into two pieces, then each piece into 4 small chunks. Halve the fish head and then cut each half into 2 pieces. Cut the tail into 4 vertical pieces. Blanch the fish pieces briefly in boiling water, then rinse with clean water.
Peel and wash the bamboo shoots, then slice into diamond-shaped pieces.
Heat a wok over high heat, add pork fat and heat until it is 70-80% hot. Add the scallion and ginger, stir until fragrant, then remove them. Add the fish pieces and sear briefly, then add Shaoxing wine and cover to simmer briefly to remove any fishy odor. Immediately add the bamboo shoots, salt, sugar, and enough water to cover the fish pieces. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Finally, add MSG, stir well, and serve.

[Cooking Tips]

Use fresh fish with firm flesh for the best texture and flavor.
Use just enough water initially; do not add more midway to maintain the concentration of the sauce and the freshness of the fish.

[Flavor Characteristics]

The Old Banzhai Restaurant was established in the 31st year of the Qing Dynasty, and has a history of more than 80 years. Originally known as the “Banzhai Club,” it was a social club for several Yangzhou individuals who had established a bank in Shanghai, with a focus on Yangzhou noodles and later expanded to include alcoholic beverages. However, it was exclusively for bank employees. In the early years of the Republic of China, the property was renovated and became the Old Banzhai Restaurant. Originally called the “Banzhai Restaurant,” it served traditional dishes and treats from Yangzhou and Zhenjiang, which were highly favored by customers. Within a few years, however, it faced competition from a gentleman who had been a former accountant at the establishment. Seeing the business prosper, he opened a “New Banzhai Restaurant” opposite, also selling dim sum from Yangzhou and Zhenjiang. The two restaurants played, ” technique

3 Fried Yellow Croaker in Batter

[Ingredients]
Yellow croaker fillets …… 300g
Scallion, minced ginger …… 10g
Fermented flour …… 8g
Flour …… 200g
Salt …… 5g
Yellow wine (Shaoxing wine) …… 25g
Ground pepper …… 2g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) …… 2g
Peanut oil …… 750g
Pork fat …… 25g

[Cooking Instructions]

Rinse the yellow croaker fillets, cut them into strips about 4.9 cm long and 1 cm wide, place them in a bowl. Add salt, wine, ground pepper, MSG, minced scallion and ginger, mix well, and marinate for about 10 minutes.
Place flour in a large bowl, add 1g salt and enough cold water to make a batter. Add pork fat and fermented flour, mix well, and set aside.
Heat a wok, add peanut oil, and heat until it reaches about 60% hot. Dip each fish strip into the batter, then fry in the hot oil. Fry each side until golden brown and crispy. Maintain the oil temperature around 60% throughout frying. Once all fish strips are fried, refry them briefly until they turn golden and crispy. Remove from oil, drain, and serve on a plate.

[Cooking Tips]

When mixing the batter, avoid over-stirring to prevent excessive stickiness, which could affect the texture of the fried fish.
Ensure each fish strip is evenly coated with the batter.
Remove the fish strips from the oil as soon as they develop a crispy exterior to ensure consistent texture.
Optionally, mix minced seaweed into the batter, coat the fish strips with it, and fry until cooked to make “Seaweed-coated Fried Yellow Croaker.” Seaweed, also known as dry seaweed or sea moss, is a green tubular plant resembling red cotton, primarily harvested from shallow sea rocks near Ningbo, Zhejiang Province during the winter and spring seasons.

[Flavor Characteristics]

This dish features a smooth golden exterior, elongated shape, crispy batter, and tender fish, making it ideal for pairing with wine.
The cooking methods of both Fried Yellow Croaker and Seaweed-coated Fried Yellow Croaker originated from Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, and have been adapted and popularized in Shanghai cuisine.

4 Snow Cabbage Yellow Croaker Soup

[Ingredients]
Fresh yellow croaker …… 1 fish (about 500-700g)
Yellow wine (Shaoxing wine) …… 15g
Bamboo shoots …… 25g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) …… 1g
Snow cabbage (stem only) …… 100g
Salt …… 15g
Ginger slice …… 1
Pork fat …… 50g
Scallion knot …… 1

[Cooking Instructions]

Scale and gut the yellow croaker, make an incision near the vent to remove internal organs, wash thoroughly, and drain. Score the flesh on both sides diagonally with a knife. Cut the snow cabbage stem into segments, and slice the bamboo shoots into thin strips.
Heat a wok, add pork fat, and heat until it’s about 70-80% hot. Place the yellow croaker in the wok, sear briefly on both sides, then add yellow wine and cover to simmer. Pour in 1000g of water, bring to a boil over high heat, cover the wok, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes until the broth turns milky white and the fish’s eyes protrude with the scored flesh cracked. Add snow cabbage segments, bamboo shoots, scallion knot, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add MSG. Serve hot in large soup bowls.

[Cooking Tips]

Select a yellow croaker weighing between 500g to 700g for best results.
Snow cabbage, also known as snow vegetable or snow mustard, is used here for its stem only, excluding the leaves.

[Flavor Characteristics]

Yellow croaker, also known as yellow corbina, varies in size and is esteemed for its quality, particularly abundant in Qingdao and best in quality from estuaries.
Yellow croaker offers a rich, dense flavor that requires careful preparation.
Legend has it that the Dragon King appointed Yellow Croaker as a General due to its bravery, leading to its mischievous behavior and eventual correction by other sea creatures.
This soup features a clean, milky broth, tender fish meat, and crisp snow cabbage for a refreshing and delightful taste.

5 Home-Style Yellow Croaker

[Ingredients]
1 whole yellow croaker … 500g
Spring bamboo shoots, sliced … 50g
Pork leg meat … 75g
Scallion, cut into sections … 5g
Ginger slices … 5g
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) … 1g
Garlic slices … 5g
Sesame oil … 15g
Shaoxing wine … 25g
Rendered pork fat … 150g
Soy sauce … 15g (approximately 40g)
Sugar … 5g

[Cooking Instructions]

Scale, gut, and clean the yellow croaker. Make diagonal cuts 1.5 cm apart on both sides of the fish. Slice the pork leg meat.
Marinate the yellow croaker with 5g of soy sauce for a salty flavor. Heat a wok over high heat, add rendered pork fat and heat until smoking. Fry the yellow croaker until both sides turn golden brown. Remove and drain excess oil using a colander.
Leave 15g of oil in the wok, add scallion sections, ginger slices, and garlic slices. Stir-fry until fragrant, then add the pork slices and bamboo shoots. Return the yellow croaker to the wok, pour in Shaoxing wine, soy sauce (12.5g), sugar, and 300g of hot water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Increase heat to reduce the sauce slightly. Remove the yellow croaker gently with a colander and place on a serving plate.
Adjust the seasoning of the remaining sauce with MSG, drizzle with sesame oil, mix well, and pour over the fish.

[Cooking Tips]

When preparing the yellow croaker, there’s no need to gut it completely. Simply remove the innards through the mouth and rinse thoroughly before cooking.
Ensure the wok is hot before frying the fish to prevent sticking.

[Flavor Characteristics]
Home-Style Yellow Croaker is prepared according to traditional methods found in ordinary Shanghai households, hence its name. The dish features a golden-red color, a non-greasy sauce, tender fish meat, and a delicious flavor.

6 Seaweed-Coated Yellow Croaker

[Ingredients]
Cleaned yellow croaker fillets … 200g
Fermented powder … 9g
Dried seaweed strips … 15g
Flour … 200g
Chopped green onions … 5g
Sesame oil … 10g
Shaoxing wine … 15g
Peanut oil … 1500g
Salt … 7.5g (approximately 100g)
Ground pepper … 0.5g
Five-spice powder … 1g

[Cooking Instructions]

Rinse the yellow croaker fillets, cut them into strips about 5cm long and 1cm wide, and place them in a bowl. Add Shaoxing wine, salt, half of the chopped green onions (3.5g), and ground pepper to marinate and remove any fishy odor. Place flour in another bowl, add dried seaweed strips and approximately 200g of water, mix well to form a batter.
Heat a wok over high heat, add peanut oil, and heat until it reaches medium heat. Reduce to low heat. Mix fermented powder into the seaweed batter. Dip each fish strip into the batter, then fry in the oil until the outer layer becomes firm. Remove the partially fried fish strips. Once all are partially fried, increase the heat to medium-high until the seaweed turns deep green and crispy. Remove and drain the oil using a colander.
Reheat the wok over high heat, return all the fish strips, sprinkle with the remaining chopped green onions (1.5g) and five-spice powder. Drizzle with sesame oil, toss gently a few times, then transfer to a serving plate.

[Cooking Tips]

When mixing the batter, gently blend to avoid toughening the outer texture after frying.
Ensure consistency in frying the fish strips to achieve uniform texture and color.

[Flavor Characteristics]

Seaweed, known as “hutai” in Chinese, is most famous along the Zhejiang coast. Collected during winter, it’s of the highest quality, with a greenish color and a fresh, tender fragrance known as “winter seaweed”. Seaweed collected after the Qingming Festival is of lesser quality and aroma, known as “spring seaweed”. Typically dried before use, it’s available in markets either as dried strips or powdered.
Seaweed-Coated Yellow Croaker is a famous dish from Shanghai’s Yujiajiang Zhuangyuanlou in the 1930s. Resembling a cocoon, it’s plump and full, with a crispy outer layer and a soft interior.

7 Braised Fish Belly

Ingredients:

Fish belly (青鱼肚裆)…… 300g
Sugar…………… 20g
Shaoxing wine…… 15g
Green onion, cut into segments…… 1g
Julienned green garlic…… 1g
MSG………… 1.5g
Wet cornstarch…… 15g
Minced ginger…… 1g
Rendered lard…… 50g
Meat broth…… 150g
Bamboo shoots, sliced…… 25g
Sesame oil…… 5g
Soy sauce…… 30g

Cooking Method:

Clean and cut the fish belly into pieces about 4.9 cm long and 3.3 cm wide.
Heat the wok over high heat, add oil, swirl to coat, then pour out excess. Add 25g of rendered lard, sauté green onion until fragrant, then add fish belly and bamboo shoots. Stir-fry briefly, then add Shaoxing wine. Cover and simmer briefly, then uncover and add minced ginger, soy sauce, sugar, and meat broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Add MSG, thicken the sauce with wet cornstarch slurry. Finally, add the remaining 25g of rendered lard, stir briefly, drizzle with sesame oil, and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with julienned green garlic before serving.

Key Techniques:
First simmer over low heat to infuse flavors, then reduce over high heat to thicken the sauce. When thickening with wet cornstarch, stir constantly to prevent lumps.

Flavor Profile:
This dish has a glossy red appearance, with thick layers of fish and a rich sauce. The meat is tender and juicy, slightly sweet and savory, making it a renowned dish for autumn and winter.

8 Braised Fish Liver with Bamboo Shoots

Ingredients:

Fish liver (青鱼肝)…… 250g
Shaoxing wine…… 15g
Cooked bamboo shoots, sliced…… 25g
Soy sauce…… 20g
Sugar………… 10g
Minced ginger…… 1g
MSG………… l g
Julienned green garlic…… 0.5g
Rice vinegar…… 2.5g
Meat broth…… 100g
Wet cornstarch…… 10g
Sesame oil…… 5g
Green onion, cut into segments…… 1g
Rendered lard…… 25g

Cooking Method:

Take two lobes of fish liver, remove the two black veins next to the liver, wash thoroughly, and drain. Cut into halves, with larger pieces cut into three or four chunks, avoiding cutting them too small.
Heat the wok over high heat, add oil, swirl to coat, then pour out excess. Add rendered lard, heat until 70% hot, then add green onion segments and sauté until fragrant. Add fish liver, stir-fry briefly, flip once to sear the liver briefly on the bottom of the wok. Pour in Shaoxing wine, cover and simmer for 3-4 seconds. Add minced ginger, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, meat broth, and bamboo shoots. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 3 minutes until the liver is cooked. If there is excessive oil in the broth, skim it off with a ladle. Add MSG, thicken the sauce with wet cornstarch slurry, drizzle with sesame oil. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with julienned green garlic before serving.

Key Techniques:

If there is any greenish-blue bile on the fish liver, it should be carefully removed with a knife to prevent bitterness.
When thickening the sauce, gently swirl the wok to maintain the integrity of the liver pieces, avoiding stirring vigorously with a ladle.

Flavor Profile:

This dish has a golden hue, rich but not greasy, tender like pork brain, with intact pieces of liver that are exceptionally fatty and flavorful.
“Braised Fish Liver with Bamboo Shoots” is a seasonal specialty created by the Lao Zheng Xing restaurant in Shanghai. During the late Qing Dynasty, Shanghai restaurants often served fish dishes where the meat was cut into pieces and braised for sale, or cooked with additional ingredients like tofu or vermicelli to make simple dishes for patrons. With the development of Shanghai’s commercial scene, restaurant owners sought to attract more business by offering banquets, leading to greater demands for sophisticated dishes. Thus, dishes like “Red-braised Whole Fish” and “Red-braised Fish Belly” made from whole fish or large pieces of fish meat emerged. In the early years of the Republic of China, the son of Yang Qinghe, the owner of the Yang Qinghe Silver Building, often dined at the Lao Zheng Xing restaurant and was particularly fond of their fish dishes. Once, he asked the chef if the valuable fish liver could be used to create a dish. Soon after, the chef used about 4 kilograms of fresh fish liver, repeatedly washed it, and combined it with bamboo shoots, green onions, ginger, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings to create a dish called “Braised Fish Liver with Bamboo Shoots.” Because the “liver” contained a large amount of pure fish liver oil, it was briefly seared and seasoned with soy sauce, wine, and sugar. After cooking, it was tender and delicate, not greasy, and supplemented with fish liver, which nourished the liver and improved vision. It was effective in strengthening the body.

9 Braised Fish Jaws and Tail

Ingredients:

Fish jaws (青鱼下巴)…… 200g
Julienned green garlic…… 0.5g
Fish tail (青鱼甩水)…… 100g
Sesame oil…… 5g
MSG…… 1.5g
Shaoxing wine…… 15g
Green onion, cut into segments…… 1g
Bamboo shoots, sliced…… 25g
Soy sauce…… 30g
Minced ginger…… 1g
Sugar…… 15g
Meat broth…… 200g
Wet cornstarch…… 10g
Rendered lard…… 50g

Cooking Method:

Arrange the fish tail in the center of a plate, with a piece of fish jaw on each side, and place bamboo shoots on top.
Heat a wok over high heat, add oil, swirl to coat, then pour out excess. Add 25g of rendered lard, heat until 70% hot, then add green onion segments and sauté until fragrant. Add fish tail, fish jaw, and bamboo shoots as arranged, stir-frying briefly while shaking the wok for about four to five seconds. Pour in Shaoxing wine, cover and simmer for 3-4 seconds. Add minced ginger, soy sauce, sugar, meat broth, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 6 minutes. When the fish jaw turns grayish-green and the fish eyes protrude and turn white, return the wok to high heat, add MSG, reduce the sauce until thickened, thicken with wet cornstarch slurry poured gently into the sauce while shaking the wok to prevent clumping. Add 25g of rendered lard from the edges of the wok, shake the wok briefly, then drizzle with sesame oil. Transfer to the plate, arrange as originally placed, and sprinkle with julienned green garlic before serving.

Key Techniques:

Fish Jaw (青鱼下巴): Refers to the lower jaw of the fish, including the cheek and the area around the eyes, known for its rich and fatty meat.
Fish Tail (青鱼甩水): The tail of the fish, which is oily and meaty, suitable for winter consumption.
When thickening with wet cornstarch, pour it gently into the sauce while shaking the wok to prevent clumping.

Flavor Profile:

Qingyu, also known as Wulingyu or Wuling chub, is a freshwater fish native to China, rich in protein, fat, calcium, vitamins, and other nutrients, known for its therapeutic effects.
According to the Qing Dynasty’s “Sui Xiju Diet Recipe,” Qingyu is described as sweet, mild, nourishing to the Qi, good for the stomach, and effective against dampness and athlete’s foot. It can be dried, preserved, or cooked with wine, representing a culinary tradition in ancient China. The head and tail of Qingyu are particularly prized for their rich flavor and tender texture.
Braised Fish Jaws and Tail is prepared using the jaws and tail of the fish, cooked to a deep reddish-brown color with a pleasing shape. The intact pieces of jaw, arranged with several fish tails, resemble a swimming fish. The dish is rich in flavor, with tender, fatty, and flavorful meat enveloped in a rich sauce, appealing to all who try it.
The use of fish tail in cooking is best with Qingyu. The tail meat is rich and contains ample phosphorus, offering a delicious and savory taste, hence the saying in folklore, “Qingyu’s tail equals the fish’s head.”

10 Pan-Fried Pickled Grass Carp

Ingredients:

Grass carp middle section (青鱼中段)…… 500g
Soy sauce…… 20g
Bamboo shoots, sliced…… 25g
Salt…… 15g
Dried shiitake mushroom slices…… 10g
Sugar…… 25g
Diced pork fatback…… 10g
Fermented rice paste (香糟)…… 75g
Green onion, cut into segments…… 1g
Water starch…… 15g
Minced ginger…… 1g
Sesame oil…… 5g
Shaoxing wine…… 40g
Rendered lard…… 75g

Cooking Method:

Scale and clean the grass carp middle section. Use a knife to make shallow cuts along both sides of the fish, about 2/3 through the thickness. Rub salt evenly over the fish and into the cuts. Marinate in a large bowl for about 2 hours. Mix the fermented rice paste (香糟) with 25g of Shaoxing wine and 50g of water until it forms a paste. Coat the fish evenly with the paste and marinate for 4-5 hours. Rinse off the paste thoroughly with clean water and drain.
Heat a wok over high heat, add oil, swirl to coat, then pour out excess. Add 50g of rendered lard, heat until 70% hot, then add the fish sections (skin-side down). Pan-fry until golden brown, then flip and lightly fry the other side. Pour in 15g of Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, minced ginger, bamboo shoots, dried shiitake mushrooms, diced pork fatback, and 200g of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 6 minutes. Return the wok to high heat, transfer the fish to a plate.
Thicken the remaining sauce in the wok with water starch, gently pouring while shaking the wok to avoid clumping. Add 25g of rendered lard from the edges of the wok, green onion segments, and drizzle with sesame oil. Pour the sauce over the fish sections and serve.

Key Techniques:

Fermented Rice Paste (香糟): Made from fermented ground wheat, used traditionally in Chinese cooking to marinate and flavor dishes. It adds a unique depth of flavor to the dish.
Sauce Preparation: Ensure the sauce is vibrant red, with a balanced salty-sweet flavor and rich aroma, characteristic of traditional Shanghai cuisine.

Flavor Profile:

Grass carp, also known as black carp or Wuling carp, is one of China’s top freshwater aquaculture fish. It feeds mainly on snails, contributing to its delicate flavor and rich fat content. The head, tail, and various sections of grass carp are prized ingredients for creating gourmet dishes.
Pan-Fried Pickled Grass Carp involves marinating the fish in fermented rice paste and then cooking it in a flavorful sauce. The sauce is savory-sweet with a rich aroma from the fermented rice paste, making it a beloved traditional dish in Shanghai cuisine.