Chinese language Grilled Fish (Kao Yu – 蒜香烤鱼)

Chinese language Grilled Fish, or kǎo yú (烤鱼), is a Sichuan dish that gained recognition in China some years in the past. Consisting of a crispy grilled (or in our case, pan-fried) white, flaky fish and a spicy sauce with greens and different goodies to dig round for within the pan, it was considered one of my favourite “eating out” dishes after we have been residing in China. 

Rising In Reputation

Whereas different stylish dishes like Sichuan Boiled Fish (shuǐ zhǔ yú – 水煮鱼) and Spicy Numbing Stir-fry Pot (málà xiāng guō – 麻辣香锅) have turn into extra acquainted in america, Chinese language grilled fish (kao yu) has taken a bit extra time. 

That mentioned, I’ve seen it in a number of eating places right here within the States, and even not too long ago visited a Chinese language Kao Yu chain restaurant! 

I believe what makes the dish so interesting is the truth that the fish and add-ins (greens, tofu, mushrooms, and even different meats) all act as a clean canvas for the extreme flavors of the sauce. Not solely that, it’s often served in a chafing dish with a flame beneath to maintain the whole lot sizzling. 

Similar to sizzling pot, you can also make kao yu with completely different flavors, like pickled chili pepper (剁椒味),pickled mustard (酸菜味), or garlic taste (蒜香味). This recipe is spicy, garlicky, and in case you embody Sichuan peppercorns, it has one other layer of taste—numbing, citrus-y, and earthy. Should you don’t like spicy meals, use common bean paste as a substitute of spicy bean sauce. 

Make It Your Personal

Making Kao Yu may look sophisticated with all of the substances concerned. However whereas the washing and chopping do take a while, the great thing about the dish is that you may customise it in keeping with what you want or have available. 

Use your favourite greens, tofu merchandise, mushrooms, and/or glass noodles. Roasted peanuts, fried soybeans, and toasted sesame seeds all make good garnishes. 

Chinese language grilled fish is finally a satisfying one-pan meal, and a really spectacular dish for a cocktail party gathering with mates. Whereas the dish is often accomplished with a complete fish, you would additionally use fish fillets in case you’d moderately not cope with bones. 

Whereas the unique dish requires the entire fish to be grilled (often over an open hearth), I used the pan-frying methodology in my wok, which is far simpler to do at dwelling. A pair vital factors: 

• The fish should be marinated (just for about half-hour). It will be certain that the fish itself has taste, so that you’re not solely counting on the sauce. 
• Prepare dinner the fish by way of in the course of the pan-frying/roasting course of. Whilst you’re going to serve it over a mattress of greens and different substances, the fish itself solely cooks as soon as. 
• This dish is often served with a flame beneath to maintain it sizzling. We omit this step since that is home-cooking. 

Kao Yu Recipe Directions

Step 1: Marinate the fish  

Ensure your fish is completely cleaned and scaled, and take away the black membrane off the stomach. Then butterfly it by splitting the fish in half on the again aspect (not the stomach aspect) whereas conserving the stomach intact. I requested the fishmonger at our Chinese language grocery retailer to do all this, and it took him about 2 minutes! 

Pat the fish very dry with a paper towel. Rub the Shaoxing wine everywhere in the fish, adopted by the salt and white pepper. Marinate for half-hour.

Step 2: Put together the greens 

At Kaoyu eating places, you’ll typically get a selection of the greens, tofu gadgets, and different add-ins for the dish, just like going to a sizzling pot restaurant. I used:

• Dried bean threads/bean curd sticks
• Celery 
• King trumpet mushrooms
• Lotus root
• Soybean sprouts

Different choices to contemplate embody:

• Potato (thinly sliced into rounds)
• Onion (thinly sliced)
• Agency Tofu (lower into ½-inch thick squares)
• Wooden ears 
• Shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced)
• Enoki Mushrooms (damaged up into smaller bundles) – brief cooking time!
• Beech/bunashimeji/seafood mushrooms (separated into particular person mushrooms)
• Oyster mushrooms (roughly torn)
• Bamboo Shoots (thinly sliced)
• Kelp/seaweed (bite-size items)
• Broccoli (lower into small florets)
• Cauliflower (ideally Chinese language cauliflower, divided into florets)
• Daikon Radish (thinly sliced)
• Winter melon (sliced)

Select veggie choices that don’t produce a number of liquid throughout cooking. 

Notice that from the above checklist, enoki mushrooms are just like soybean sprouts in that they prepare dinner in a short time. Add them within the final 1-2 minutes of cooking! 

Step 3: Prepare dinner the Fish

After you have all of the substances ready, you can begin cooking.

Preheat your wok over excessive warmth till it begins to smoke evenly. This can be very IMPORTANT TO PREHEAT THE WOK PROPERLY, or your fish could stick. 

Coat the wok with 3 tablespoons oil. Place the butterflied fish within the wok skin-side down, and pan-fry over excessive warmth till golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Rotate/transfer the wok round so the fish fries evenly. Alter the warmth as wanted to keep away from burning. 

Gently shake the wok. The fish ought to transfer by itself if it is able to flip. Now use two sturdy spatulas to rigorously flip the fish and brown the opposite aspect till the fish is totally cooked by way of, about 3 minutes.

Cooking time will rely on the thickness of the fish and the warmth out of your range. The fish is finished when it’s golden brown and the meat will be separated from the middle bone.

My 2-pound branzino took about 6 minutes on the pores and skin aspect and three – 4 minutes on the opposite aspect. 

Flip off the warmth and switch the cooked fish to a big plate.

Step 4: Assemble the dish

Should you observe these steps accurately, it’s best to have some oil left within the wok and it ought to be principally clear. With the warmth at medium-high, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Prepare dinner the ginger, garlic, chilies (if utilizing), Sichuan peppercorns (if utilizing), bay leaves, and star anise pods for two minutes, till aromatic. Add the spicy bean sauce. Stir-fry the whole lot till the oil turns pink from the bean sauce, adjusting the warmth as wanted to keep away from burning. 

Now add the Shaoxing wine, hen inventory/water, and sugar. Deliver to a boil, then add all of the dried bean threads, celery, mushrooms, and lotus root. Deliver the whole lot to a boil, and prepare dinner the substances till crisp-tender.

Within the final minute of cooking, stir within the soybean sprouts. 

Add salt to style, then rigorously pour the whole lot into a big deep serving dish (or use a roasting pan like I did). High with the cooked fish.

Garnish with scallion and/or cilantro, and serve instantly. Spoon the sauce over the fish, and luxuriate in!