Roasted Mandarin Fish with Assorted Stuffing
A classic Shandong cuisine roasted mandarin fish deboned and rolled with minced chicken, shrimp, water chestnuts and ham, wrapped in lard net and roasted. Crispy golden crust, tender and savory filling. An impressive banquet dish.
Ingredients
18 items- Mandarin fish (guìyú) 1 (about 600g)
- Chicken breast 100g
- Pork belly 100g
- Shrimp 50g
- Water chestnuts 50g
- Dried shiitake mushrooms 30g
- Ham (Yunnan or Jinhua) 30g
- Green onion-ginger water 2 tbsp
- Cooking wine 1 tbsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- White pepper 1/2 tsp
- Light soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 tbsp
- Egg white 1
- Cornstarch 2 tbsp
- Pork lard net (or bean curd sheet) 200g
- Cooking oil as needed
- Egg wash 1 egg beaten
Nutrition
Steps （7 steps）
Rinse the cleaned mandarin fish. From the back, slit along the spine carefully remove the backbone and belly bones keeping the belly attached so the fish lies flat. Turn over and lightly pound with a knife back to tenderize. Soak in clean water for 10 minutes to remove blood, then pat dry thoroughly inside and out with paper towels.
In a bowl, rub the dried fish inside and out with onion-ginger water, cooking wine, 1/2 tsp salt and white pepper. Massage well and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare filling: mince chicken, pork, shrimp, water chestnuts, mushrooms, ham finely. Combine in a large bowl, add egg white, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, cornstarch, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir vigorously in one direction for about 2 minutes until sticky and firm.
Lay the marinated fish flat on a board, skin side down (flesh side up). Spread the filling evenly over the flesh, leaving a 2 cm border at edges. Starting from the head end, carefully roll the fish and filling into a tight cylinder, with head and tail exposed at ends. Tie the roll with kitchen twine at 3 cm intervals to secure, not too tight to avoid cracking.
Spread the lard net flat (or tofu sheet). Place the fish roll in the center and wrap it tightly with two layers of lard net, sealing the ends with a bit of egg wash. Prick about a dozen small holes on the surface with a fork to allow steam to escape. Brush the packed roll with a thin layer of cooking oil.
Preheat oven to 200°C (about 15 minutes). Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and brush oil. Place the wrapped roll on the foil and brush the surface with oil. Put the tray in the middle rack and bake at 200°C top and bottom heat for 15 minutes. Halfway, touch the surface – it should be firm and slightly colored.
After 15 minutes, remove the tray and brush the roll evenly with egg wash (or a mix of egg and honey). Return to oven and continue baking for 10 minutes until the surface is golden and crispy. Insert an oven thermometer into the center of the roll – it should reach at least 75°C for doneness. If color is uneven, switch to top grill for final 3 minutes.
Take out immediately and let rest on the tray for 1 minute. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for another 5 minutes to redistribute juices. Cut the twine, then slice the roll into rounds about 2 cm thick using a sharp knife in one smooth cut. Arrange on a platter and serve with Sichuan peppercorn salt or sweet bean paste.
Tips
1. Pork lard net is ideal for wrapping; if unavailable, substitute with tofu skin or bacon but flavor will vary. 2. When mixing filling, always stir in one direction to make the meat sticky so it won't fall apart after baking. 3. Preheat oven fully and minimize opening the door during baking to keep the temperature stable. 4. Use a sharp knife to slice the roll; one clean cut avoids shredding the crisp skin. 5. For extra crispiness, you can dust the roll with breadcrumbs before wrapping.
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