Fish Braised in Chili Bean Sauce
- 1 carp, trout, or sea bass weighing about 1 1/2 pounds, cleaned, with head and tail still attached peanut oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or medium-dry sherry
- 4 tablespoons Sichuanese chili bean paste
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 13 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinkiang or black Chinese vinegar
- 3 scallions, green parts only, finely sliced
- Use a cleaver or sharp knife to make 4 or 5 shallow diagonal cuts into each side of the fish, and to pierce its head (this releases more flavorsome juices).
- Rub the fish inside and out with the salt and Shaoxing rice wine and leave to marinate while you assemble the other ingredients.
carp, salt, rice wine, sichuanese chili bean paste, garlic, chicken stock, white sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, chinkiang, scallions
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012381 (may not work)