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Foolproof Braised Crucian Carp
Carp has a wonderfully mild and sweet flavor, and while it does have quite a few bones, as long as you make it delicious enough, people will love it even with all those bones! A delicious Foolproof Braised Crucian Carp recipe.
- Prep
- 18m
- Cook
- 30m
- Total
- 48m
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- 1/5
- Cuisine
- Chinese
IngredientsWhat you'll need for Foolproof Braised Crucian Carp
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Crucian carp | 1 as needed |
| Ginger | 5 as needed |
| Garlic | 3 as needed |
| Salt | to taste |
| Sugar | to taste |
| Scallion | 1 as needed |
| Light soy sauce | 1 as needed |
| Oyster sauce | 1 as needed |
| Cooking oil | as needed |
| Shaoxing wine | to taste |
| White pepper powder | a pinch |
| Bird's eye chili | 1-2 |
- Crucian carp1 as needed
- Ginger5 as needed
- Garlic3 as needed
- Saltto taste
- Sugarto taste
- Scallion1 as needed
- Light soy sauce1 as needed
- Oyster sauce1 as needed
- Cooking oilas needed
- Shaoxing wineto taste
- White pepper powdera pinch
- Bird's eye chili1-2
Cooking StepsHow to cook Foolproof Braised Crucian Carp step by step
-
Step 1Prepare the ginger, garlic, and scallion. Clean the fish, rub with a little salt and let it marinate for 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels or a clean cloth.
-
Step 2Crucian carp has many small bones, especially near the tail. Make closely spaced cuts on both sides of the tail section to reduce the chance of choking on bones.
-
Step 3Heat the wok and add oil. Wait until the oil reaches about 80°C (175°F) before sliding the fish in to pan-fry.
-
Step 4Pan-fry until golden brown on one side before flipping. Be patient — don’t rush to turn the fish! (Tip for keeping the skin intact, especially without a non-stick pan: turn off the heat first, wait 1-2 minutes for the pan to cool slightly, then flip.)
-
Step 5Once both sides are golden brown, add the julienned ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant, then pour in the Shaoxing wine.
-
Step 6Mix together salt, white pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce, a little sugar, and 1.5 bowls of water to make the sauce, then pour it into the wok. Adjust the water amount based on the size of the fish — don’t submerge it completely, or it will be hard to reduce the sauce and the fish’s natural sweetness will be diluted. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and braise for 3-5 minutes. Flip the fish halfway through. If you like spice, add bird’s eye chilies or green chilies. If the sauce is getting low, take the fish out early — don’t worry about it being undercooked since it was already pan-fried.
-
Step 7Braise until the sauce is mostly reduced, but leave a little — don’t reduce it completely. If there’s too much liquid left, turn up the heat to reduce quickly. Finish by adding the scallions, adjust seasoning to taste, and serve.
-
Step 8Serve and enjoy! The meat is tender, sweet, and absolutely delicious.
-
Step 9Bonus tip: For larger fish or if you want more flavor penetration, make 2-3 diagonal slashes on each side before braising.
Foolproof Braised Crucian Carp
Carp has a wonderfully mild and sweet flavor, and while it does have quite a few bones, as long as you make it delicious enough, people will love it even with all those bones! A delicious Foolproof Braised Crucian Carp recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 as needed Crucian carp
- 5 as needed Ginger
- 3 as needed Garlic
- to taste Salt
- to taste Sugar
- 1 as needed Scallion
- 1 as needed Light soy sauce
- 1 as needed Oyster sauce
- as needed Cooking oil
- to taste Shaoxing wine
- a pinch White pepper powder
- 1-2 Bird's eye chili
Instructions
-
Prepare the ginger, garlic, and scallion. Clean the fish, rub with a little salt and let it marinate for 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels or a clean cloth.
-
Crucian carp has many small bones, especially near the tail. Make closely spaced cuts on both sides of the tail section to reduce the chance of choking on bones.
-
Heat the wok and add oil. Wait until the oil reaches about 80°C (175°F) before sliding the fish in to pan-fry.
-
Pan-fry until golden brown on one side before flipping. Be patient — don’t rush to turn the fish! (Tip for keeping the skin intact, especially without a non-stick pan: turn off the heat first, wait 1-2 minutes for the pan to cool slightly, then flip.)
-
Once both sides are golden brown, add the julienned ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant, then pour in the Shaoxing wine.
-
Mix together salt, white pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce, a little sugar, and 1.5 bowls of water to make the sauce, then pour it into the wok. Adjust the water amount based on the size of the fish — don’t submerge it completely, or it will be hard to reduce the sauce and the fish’s natural sweetness will be diluted. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and braise for 3-5 minutes. Flip the fish halfway through. If you like spice, add bird’s eye chilies or green chilies. If the sauce is getting low, take the fish out early — don’t worry about it being undercooked since it was already pan-fried.
-
Braise until the sauce is mostly reduced, but leave a little — don’t reduce it completely. If there’s too much liquid left, turn up the heat to reduce quickly. Finish by adding the scallions, adjust seasoning to taste, and serve.
-
Serve and enjoy! The meat is tender, sweet, and absolutely delicious.
-
Bonus tip: For larger fish or if you want more flavor penetration, make 2-3 diagonal slashes on each side before braising.
