Sichuan-Style Poached Sea Bass With Hot Bean Sauce

• 1 sea bass (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), cleaned, head and tail left on
• 6 cups fish (or chicken) stock
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped scallions (white and green sections)
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot bean paste
• 6 tablespoons sweet rice wine (like Shaoxing wine)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Place the fish on its side, and using a sharp knife, make three deep parallel cuts about 2 inches apart.
2. Flip the fish and repeat.
3. Bring the stock to a boil in a wok.
4. Leave the heat at high and add the fish.
5. When the liquid returns to a boil, lower the heat to simmer.
6. Cook about 6 minutes or until the fish is barely cooked through.
7. Gently remove the fish to a strainer, discarding the stock but reserving any liquids that drip through the strainer.
8. Place a clean wok over high heat.
9. When it is hot, add the vegetable oil.
10. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and the scallions.
11. Cook, stirring, for 10 seconds, then add the chili sauce, hot bean paste and sweet rice wine.
12. Cook, stirring, for 20 seconds, then add any reserved poaching liquid, along with the sugar and salt.
13. Bring the sauce to a boil.
14. Place the fish in the boiling sauce and spoon some sauce over it.
15. Continue cooking and spooning the sauce over the fish for 2 minutes.
16. Remove from the heat.
17. Carefully transfer the fish to a platter.
18. Check the sauce for seasoning, pour over the fish and serve.

bass, fish, vegetable oil, ginger, scallions, chili sauce, hot bean paste, sweet rice wine, sugar, salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8943 (may not work)