Tofu Pudding Fish Hotpot with Spicy Sautéed Base

Tofu Pudding Fish Hotpot with Spicy Sautéed Base

　　Sautéed fish is a signature dish in many regional cuisines, especially in Sichuan and Guizhou where spicy flavors are beloved. When adapted into a hotpot style, using tofu pudding as the base creates a novel concept and approach that’s worth highlighting. The finished dish boasts a bright red color, tender texture, and a rich flavor profile of numbness, spiciness, and umami. It has wide applications—after the main ingredient is consumed, you can cook meats and seasonal vegetables in the broth. Ingredients:

　　 750g grass carp, 250g tofu pudding, 20g dried chili peppers, 10g Sichuan peppercorn seeds, 20g each of green and red small chili peppers, 10g fresh Sichuan peppercorns, 30g broad bean paste, 50g ciba chili, 5g fine salt, 10g soy sauce, 8g sugar, 10g cooking wine, 10g ginger slices, 10g garlic slices, 10g scallion segments, 5g scallion greens, 20g sesame oil, and an appropriate amount of water starch. Preparation method:

　　 1. Clean and prepare the grass carp, then make diagonal slits on both sides. Place it in a container, add fine salt, cooking wine, ginger, and scallions, and marinate for ten minutes. Heat oil to 70–80% heat, deep-fry the fish until cooked through, then remove.

　　 2. Chop the dried chili peppers into sections and stir-fry them along with the Sichuan peppercorn seeds until fragrant. Remove and finely chop into crushed pepper (known as knife-edge pepper); wash and dice the small chili peppers.

　　 3. Heat oil in a wok, add ginger and garlic slices, broad bean paste, and ciba chili. Stir-fry until aromatic, then add fresh broth and season with soy sauce, sugar, and cooking wine. Add the tofu pudding and the fried fish, then simmer over low heat until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens. Remove and plate the fish, sprinkling with the knife-edge pepper. 4. In a clean wok, heat salad oil and sesame oil until hot, then pour both along with the diced small chili peppers over the knife-edge pepper. Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve.