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China · Yellow Croaker

Chinese Dry-Braised Yellow Croaker

Gan Shao Huang Yu

Yellow croaker, huang yu, is one of the most loved fish of the East China Sea. In gan shao style the whole fish is fried golden, then braised in a little chili bean sauce, ginger, garlic, wine and soy until the sauce cooks down and clings, and finished with a heap of scallions and chilies.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 25 min
  • Serves 3
  • Level Medium
Photo: Lili.Q / Adobe Stock
Served with: Garlic Stir-Fried Bok Choy ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the braise

Method

Step by step, the traditional way.

  1. Prepare the fish. Score each fish 3 times on both sides. Rub with salt and the wine and leave 10 minutes. Pat dry and dust lightly with cornstarch.
  2. Fry. Heat the oil in a wok until shimmering. Fry the fish 3–4 minutes per side without moving it until golden and firm. Lift out and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil.
  3. Build the sauce. Over medium heat fry the chili bean paste 1 minute until the oil turns red. Add the ginger, garlic and dried chilies and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Braise. Pour in the wine, both soy sauces, sugar, vinegar and hot water and bring to a boil. Lay the fish in, spoon the sauce over and braise on medium 8–10 minutes, turning once, basting often.
  5. Reduce. Turn up the heat and cook until the sauce is thick and glossy and clings to the fish. Add the fresh chilies and scallions for the last minute.
  6. Serve. Lift the fish onto a platter, pour the sauce over, drizzle with sesame oil and serve with steamed rice and stir-fried bok choy.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Garlic Stir-Fried Bok Choy
China

Garlic Stir-Fried Bok Choy

Suan Rong Qing Cai

Baby bok choy flashed in a hot wok with plenty of garlic and a pinch of salt. The clean green plate that sits next to every rich Chinese fish.

  • Prep 5 min
  • Cook 5 min
  • Serves 3
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 1 lb (450 g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • ½ tsp sesame oil

How to make it

  1. Wash. Rinse the bok choy well, especially at the base, and shake dry.
  2. Garlic. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and stir the garlic 15 seconds, just until fragrant.
  3. Stir-fry. Add the bok choy, salt and sugar and toss 1 minute. Splash in the water, cover 1 minute until the stems are just tender.
  4. Serve. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve at once.

More from this part of the world

Other fish from the same waters.

Dagupan, PhilippinesFilipino Stuffed Grilled Milkfish
West Java, IndonesiaIndonesian Fried Gourami with Mango Sambal
Central ThailandThai Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup