Braised Whole Fish in Hot-and-Sour Sauce

Name: Braised Whole Fish in Hot-and-Sour Sauce
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 cup fish or chicken stock, preferably homemade, or water; 1 cup fish or chicken stock, preferably homemade, or water; 1 cup fish or chicken stock, preferably homemade, or water; 4 fresh or dried shiitake (black) mushrooms; One 3- to 5-pound grouper, red snapper, carp, or sea bass, gilled, gutted, and scaled, head may be on or off; One 3- to 5-pound grouper, red snapper, carp, or sea bass, gilled, gutted, and scaled, head may be on or off; One 3- to 5-pound grouper, red snapper, carp, or sea bass, gilled, gutted, and scaled, head may be on or off; One 3- to 5-pound grouper, red snapper, carp, or sea bass, gilled, gutted, and scaled, head may be on or off; Minced scallion and chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish; 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil; Minced scallion and chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish; ¼ cup rice or white wine vinegar; ¼ cup rice or white wine vinegar; 1 large onion, sliced; Salt to taste; Flour for dredging; ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed; ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed; ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed; ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed; 4 fresh or dried shiitake (black) mushrooms; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry; 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry; 1 tablespoon fermented black beans; 2 or 3 dried red chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste; 2 or 3 dried red chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste; 1 tablespoon peeled and minced or grated fresh ginger; 2 teaspoons minced garlic

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
45 min

Appears in

The Best Recipes in the World

By Mark Bittman

Published 2005

About

It doesn’t take long, but this dish requires a fairly large pan. A long, narrow roasting pan will do in a pinch, especially if it’s nonstick. If you have trouble getting the fish to fit into your pan, by all means cut off its head and tail. Or try making this with smaller fish, in the 2- to 3-pound range. Then, when you feel you’ve gotten the hang of browning a whole fish, move on to larger specimens.

This is a blast to eat—and should have enough sauce to make plain white rice a ter

Ingredients

Asia
China
Fish course
Pescatarian
Winter

Ingredients

Method