Sauerkraut Fish (Suan Cai Yu)
A classic Sichuan dish featuring tender fish fillets in a tangy and spicy broth, with pickled cabbage adding depth and zest.
Ingredients
14 items- Grass carp (or black fish) 1 (about 1000g)
- Pickled Sichuan cabbage (suan cai) 200g
- Dried chili peppers 10
- Sichuan peppercorns 1 tbsp
- Ginger 1 piece
- Garlic 5 cloves
- Scallions 2
- Egg white 1
- Cornstarch 1 tbsp
- Cooking wine (Shaoxing) 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- White pepper to taste
- Broth or water 1000ml
- Cooking oil as needed
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Rinse fish fillets and pat dry. Mix in egg white, starch, cooking wine, salt and white pepper. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Chop pickled cabbage, slice ginger and garlic, cut dried chilies into sections, and cut scallions into sections.
Heat oil over medium heat, sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add pickled cabbage and stir-fry about 3 minutes until aromatic.
Pour in broth or water, bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes to develop flavor.
Season with salt, white pepper, and a little pickled chili water if available. Optional: add chicken bouillon.
Gently slide fish fillets into the soup one by one. Cook over high heat for 1 minute until they turn white and curl.
Transfer fish and soup to a serving bowl. In a small pan, heat oil until shimmering, add dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, and pour over the fish.
Garnish with scallions or cilantro and serve immediately.
Tips
1. Slice fish thinly at an angle for uniform thickness. 2. Use high-quality Sichuan pickled cabbage for best flavor. 3. Do not overcook the fish—just until white. 4. The final sizzling oil is key to release the aroma of spices.
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