Braised Sea Bass

Braised Sea Bass

Ingredients

• 1 (about 600g) fresh sea bass
• to taste salt
• a pinch white pepper
• as needed cornstarch
• as needed cooking wine
• 1 small piece ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 leek (large)
• 1-2 scallions
• 1-2 star anise
• 1-2 sand ginger (shannai)
• a small pinch Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 bird's eye chili (optional)
• about 10g (or substitute yellow soybean paste) doubanjiang (optional)
• a splash high-proof baijiu
• as needed cooking oil
• about 5g light soy sauce
• about 2g dark soy sauce
• about 2g vinegar
• about 3g white sugar

Instructions

1. Clean the freshly killed sea bass thoroughly inside and out, and make diagonal score cuts on both sides.
2. Sprinkle with salt and rub evenly inside and out; let marinate for a while.
3. Slice the ginger and garlic, cut the leek whites diagonally, slice the bird's eye chilies into rings (optional), chop the scallion greens, and prepare star anise, sand ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns.
4. Add white pepper, cornstarch, and cooking wine to the salted fish, rub evenly, and marinate for about 15 minutes.
5. Heat oil and pan-fry the sea bass until both sides are colored (no need to over-fry the exterior).
6. Drizzle vinegar along the edge of the wok. Be careful with the amount — the finished dish should not taste sour.
7. Add light soy sauce and a little dark soy sauce.
8. Push the fish to one side and add the ginger, garlic, star anise, sand ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and half the leek whites. If you like it spicy, add some doubanjiang (less is better than more) and half the chili rings; stir-fry until fragrant.
9. Push the aromatics and fish together, then splash a little high-proof baijiu along the wok edge to remove fishiness and add aroma.
10. Stir everything together, occasionally scooping the sauce over the fish. No need to flip the fish.
11. Add white sugar to taste.
12. Pour in stock or boiling water until it covers a little more than half the fish.
13. Bring to a boil over high heat, occasionally spooning the sauce over the fish.
14. When the sauce has reduced to your liking, adjust the salt (experienced cooks may skip this — the salt from marinating and soy sauce is usually sufficient; this step only adjusts the broth). Add the remaining leek whites and chili rings (optional).
15. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped scallions.