Boiled Fish Slices

Boiled Fish Slices

　　Boiled Fish Slices

　　Cooking process:

　　1. Scale the grass carp, remove gills, cut open the belly, and clean out the innards. Slice off both fillets with a knife, and chop the fish head and bones into chunks.

　　2. Slice the fish fillets diagonally into thin slices, then mix them with salt, cooking wine, MSG, and egg white until evenly coated with a layer of egg batter.

　　3. Place a wok on the heat, add broth and salt, and bring to a boil. Add the fish head and bones, and simmer over high heat. Skim off any foam from the surface of the broth, and add a splash of cooking wine to eliminate the fishy smell. Line a serving bowl with blanched bean sprouts as a base. Once the fish bones are cooked, remove them and place in the serving bowl.

　　4. Loosen the fish slices and add them to the wok. When they are just cooked (still slightly translucent), remove and place them on top of the fish bones. Then add ginger slices, garlic cloves, scallion segments, ground pepper, MSG, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chili peppers.

　　5. Clean the wok, heat salad oil until 70% hot, then pour it into the serving bowl. Simmer for one or two minutes, and it’s ready.

　　Tip: The taste largely depends on the quality of the Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers, as well as the skill in making the chili oil. Restaurants usually prepare the chili oil in advance. Be mindful of the oil temperature—too high may scorch the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies, while too low will result in a lack of spiciness and aroma. The fish must be live; grass carp, black carp, bighead carp, or common carp can all be used. The broth must be flavorful so that the blanched fish slices absorb the taste. Also, using two or three pounds of fish for home cooking may seem a bit wasteful. Adjust the amount of Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers according to your personal taste.