Fish in Hot Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

Sweet-and-sour sauce is given some fire here with the addition of the rich red chilli bean paste, called dou banjiang, which is characteristic of many Sichuan dishes and found in every kitchen in the region. The best dou banjiang is said to come from the town of Pixian, outside Chengdu, but most grocery stores sell a variety of brands. It’s salty and hot, and a little of it goes a long way – but it’s just right with crispy cod or halibut.