Shui Zhu Yu with Vegetables
水煮鱼 · sichuan cuisine · Sichuan
Sichuan boiled fish poaches marinated fish slices in a concentrated chile-bean broth and serves them over cooked vegetables.
Chef ChopzenChopzen project content lead. Curating and testing every published recipe for US home cooks.Nutrition & allergens
No supported allergens detected from surveyed ingredients.
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- 20
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- 31.4
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
17.64 oz — sliced about 5 cm long and 3 cm wide
10.58 oz — cut into small florets
7.05 oz — washed and dried
1.41 oz — divided
Fermented black beans豆豉Optional
0.35 oz — rinsed
0.04 cup
Canola oil菜籽油
0.11 cup — divided
0.11 oz
garlic大蒜
2.0 clove — minced
salt盐
0.18 oz — divided
0.07 oz
0.63 cup — hot
Techniques you'll use
- Marinating ↗
Season protein ahead with soy, wine, and starch for flavor and texture.
- Blanching (chao shui) ↗
Par-cook in boiling water to clean, tighten, or prep ingredients.
- Simmering (dun) ↗
Gentle low-heat cooking in liquid until flavors merge and meat softens.
Steps
- 1
Step 115 min
Thaw frozen fish overnight in the refrigerator, or sealed in cold water changed every 30 minutes. Slice the flexible fish and keep it chilled.
✅ Done when: The fish is fully thawed, cold, and easy to slice cleanly.
Watch out: Do not follow the source's five-hour room-temperature thaw.
Gently mix the fish with 30 g bean paste, 3 g salt, pepper oil, white pepper, and 5 ml canola oil. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
✅ Done when: Every slice is coated without breaking.
Watch out: Marinate cold and handle gently.
Blanch the cauliflower until tender and dry-stir-fry the romaine until just cooked. Arrange both vegetables in a deep serving bowl.
✅ Done when: The cauliflower is easily pierced and the romaine is wilted but green.
Watch out: All base vegetables must be fully cooked before plating.
Heat the remaining canola oil and fry 10 g bean paste, optional black beans, and garlic over medium until fragrant. Add the hot water and bring to a boil.
✅ Done when: The broth is red, fragrant, and actively simmering.
Watch out: Keep the bean paste moving so it does not scorch.
- 5
Step 54 min
Medium heatAdd the fish slices and separate them gently. Add the remaining salt and sugar; when the broth returns to a boil, cook until the fish reaches 63°C or turns opaque and flakes easily.
✅ Done when: The fish reaches 63°C and is opaque and easy to flake.
Watch out: Do not stir hard or overcook the delicate slices.
- 6
Step 61 min
Off heatSpoon the fish over the vegetables and pour the hot broth around it. Serve immediately.
✅ Done when: The vegetables are moistened and the fish remains in intact slices.
Watch out: Use a deep heatproof bowl for the hot broth.