Caroline Moran Food & Drink

SEA BASS WITH CRUSHED SOYBEANS AND CHILLI SAUCE

SEA BASS WITH CRUSHED SOYBEANS AND CHILLI SAUCE
Auspicious foods are an important focus during the two-week Chinese New Year festival. A chicken might be served whole to symbolise family togetherness, and sticky rice cake might be offered up to ensure a rich, sweet year ahead. Whilst a whole fish served with the head and tail attached symbolises a good beginning and ending for the coming year - the Chinese word for fish also sounds like ‘abundance'. This particular recipe combines the salty, earthyiness of black bean, with a hit of chilli and a beautifully lightly steamed fish. Great for flavour, balance, and abundance. Kung Hei Fat Choi!
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SEA BASS WITH CRUSHED SOYBEANS AND CHILLI SAUCE
Auspicious foods are an important focus during the two-week Chinese New Year festival. A chicken might be served whole to symbolise family togetherness, and sticky rice cake might be offered up to ensure a rich, sweet year ahead. Whilst a whole fish served with the head and tail attached symbolises a good beginning and ending for the coming year - the Chinese word for fish also sounds like ‘abundance'. This particular recipe combines the salty, earthyiness of black bean, with a hit of chilli and a beautifully lightly steamed fish. Great for flavour, balance, and abundance. Kung Hei Fat Choi!
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
2 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 people 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp salted soybeans
  • 2 garlic gloves
  • 1 bird’s-eye chilli
  • 1 large handful of coriander
  • 350-500g sea bass, scaled, gutted and de-gilled (ask your fishmonger to do this for you)
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
The Sauce
  • 1 tsp chilli bean sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 100 ml chicken or vegetable stock, or hot water
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • a dash of soy sauce
Instructions
  1. Lightly crush the soybeans in a small bowl with the back of a teaspoon. Finely chop the garlic and chilli. Roughly chop the coriander
  2. Wash the fish, pat dry and place on a large plate or platter suitable for steaming.
  3. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. BUILD YOUR WOK CLOCK: place the crushed soybeans at 12 o’clock, then arrange the garlic, chilli, sauce bowl and chopped coriander clockwise around the plate.
Cooking
  1. Set a large wok or steaming pan up with a steamer stand and fill with boiling water to a third of the way up the sides. Place the fish plate into the wok or pan, cover with a lid and steam for 7–12 minutes, until cooked (see Tip). Remove and set aside, covering the fish with foil so it stays warm and moist.
  2. Drain and dry the wok, add the vegetable oil and heat until smoking. Add the soybeans and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the garlic, chillies and sauce. Bring to a vigorous boil, then add half the coriander and continue to cook for 1 minute until the sauce has thickened and reduced by at least a third.
  3. Pour the sauce over the steamed fish and garnish with the remaining coriander to serve.
Notes

Recipe taken from Jeremy Pang's Chinese Unchopped (Quadrille £19.99) Photography by Martin Poole

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