Description
This Chinese braised whole fish is a festive main dish made with simple ingredients in just 30 minutes. The fish is pan-fried and then braised in a soy sauce mixture, creating a tender texture and balanced flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (1 to 1.5 lbs) whole branzino, or other white fish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 scallions, whites cut into 2” pieces, some greens reserved and thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 thumb ginger, sliced
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
- Score the fish with 1” space in between cuts. Thoroughly pat the fish dry with paper towels. Coat the fish with a thin layer of cornstarch. Shake off the excess cornstarch.
- Prepare a piece of aluminum foil that can fit in your wok and fully cover the fish.
- Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat until smoking. Swirl the wok to coat the bottom with oil. Carefully lower the fish into the wok. Let cook without touching for 2 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully release the fish and flip it. Brown the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate and set aside.
- Your wok should still have some oil left. Add or reduce the oil if needed, so there’s about 1 to 2 tablespoons of it left. Add scallion whites and ginger. Stir and cook for 20 seconds to release fragrance.
- Add water, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil and add back the fish. Place the aluminum foil on top so it loosely covers the fish. Braise over medium heat for 3 minutes, ensuring the liquid is boiling the whole time without reaching a rolling boil. Remove the foil, carefully flip the fish, then replace the foil. Braise for another 3 minutes. Remove the foil and test the texture by gently pulling off a piece of meat; it should come off the bone easily. Transfer the fish to a serving plate.
- Remove and discard the scallion and ginger pieces. If the sauce looks very watery, turn the heat to high to reduce it for 1 to 2 minutes. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens enough to thinly coat the back of a spoon, then pour it onto the fish. Garnish with scallion greens. Serve hot as a main dish.
Notes
- Use a fish that is fresh for the best flavor.
- Adjust the amount of sugar based on your preference for sweetness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet
- Calories: 224
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 9.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.8 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg