Welcome to Rice or Bread! Today, we’re diving into the bold and vibrant flavors of Sichuan cuisine with a dish that perfectly captures its essence: Sichuan Grilled Fish, known in Chinese as 四川烤鱼 (Sìchuān kǎo yú). This dish is a delightful combination of crispy, tender fish enveloped in a mouthwatering, spicy, and aromatic sauce. Let’s get started on this culinary journey to Sichuan!
The Origin of Sichuan Grilled Fish
Sichuan cuisine, renowned for its bold flavors and liberal use of spices, originates from the Sichuan Province in southwestern China. The region’s unique culinary style is characterized by its use of Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers, creating a distinctive “numbing-spicy” sensation known as 麻辣 (málà).
Sichuan Grilled Fish, or 四川烤鱼, is a relatively modern dish that has become incredibly popular across China in recent years. Combining traditional grilling techniques with the rich, spicy flavors of Sichuan cuisine, this dish is a testament to the region’s innovative and dynamic culinary culture. It typically features a whole fish marinated, grilled to perfection, and then bathed in a sizzling, spicy sauce with a variety of vegetables.
Introducing the Dish
Sichuan Grilled Fish is often served on a sizzling platter, ensuring that the flavors remain vibrant and the fish stays warm throughout your meal. However, it is a bit difficult to find such sizzling platter in Europe, so I normally use oven to make it. Today I’m going to introduce the oven method.
This dish is perfect for sharing, making it a favorite for family gatherings and social dining. The combination of fish and vegetables in a rich, spicy broth also makes it a balanced and satisfying meal, suitable for any occasion.
Key Spices and Ingredients
The magic of Sichuan Grilled Fish lies in its spices. Here’s a closer look at the key ingredients that make this dish so special:
Cooking Wine (Shaoxing Wine): This traditional Chinese cooking wine enhances the flavor of the fish and the sauce.
Ginger : These aromatics are foundational to many Chinese dishes, providing warmth and depth.
Sichuan Chili Peppers: Both fresh and dried chili peppers are used to impart heat and depth of flavor.
Sichuan Peppercorns: Different from the black peppercorns, Sichuan Peppercorns provide a unique tingling, numbing sensation that is a hallmark of Sichuan cuisine. If you are interested to know the differences, click here .
Soybean Paste: This fermented paste made from soybeans is essential for adding umami to the dish.
Soy Sauce and Dark Soy Sauce: These add saltiness, umami, and a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
Cooking process
Cooking the Sichuan Grilled fish is very easy. After marinade the fish, and prepare the veggies, the oven will do the magic.
- Marinade the fish for one hour or longer.
- Gilled the marinaded fish in oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Prepare and cook the vegetables with Chinese spices,
- Add the cooked vegetables and sauce on fish, and return to oven for 5 minutes.
- Add some fresh cilantro.
You are ready to enjoy!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Leave a comment below and share your experience!
For more information about the Chinese spices see my ingredients list
Happy cooking!
Sichuan Grilled fish
Ingredients
For Marinade the fish
- 1 or 2 whole fish Dorada/Sea bream or any fish that you prefer, about 2kg, cleaned and scaled
- 2 tablespoons Cooking Wine
- 6 slices Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
For Toppings (Vegetables that you prefer)
- 1 Onion
- 1 Carrot
- 1 cup Cauliflower or broccoli
- 4 Mushrooms
- 1 cup Bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons Cooking oil
- 5-6 Sichuan Chilli peppers
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn
- 2 Tablespoon Soybean sauce
- 1 tablespoon Light soysauce
- 1 teaspoon Dark soysauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Prepare the Fish:
- Rinse the fish thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.
- Make diagonal cuts on both sides of the fish to allow the marinade to penetrate.
- Cut open the fish and lay flat on a baking tray.
- In a bowl, combine Cooking wine, light soysauce, ginger, and salt. Mix well.
- Coat the fish with the marinade, making sure it gets into the cuts. Let it marinate for an hour.
Grill the Fish:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Transfer the Baking tray to the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
- Prepare the Vegetables:
- While the fish is baking, heat a separate pan over medium heat.
- Add the Sichuan chilli Pepper and Sichuan peppercorns, stir-fry until fragrant. Take out the chilli pepper and peppercorns.
- Add soybean sauce, stir for 30 seconds, Add Onion, carrots and cauliflowers, stir fry for 2-3 minutes, add mushrooms and bell peppers, stir fry fro another 2 minutes until the Vegetables are lightly cooked. Add some water during the cook when it gets to dry.
- Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, suger and salt, stir and combine well.
Add the Veggies
- Carefully remove the fish from the oven,Pour the cooked vegetables over the fish, making sure it is evenly coated.
- Return the baking tray to the oven for another 5 minutes.
Serve the dish.
- Remove the Dish from the oven, Garnish with chopped cilantro for a fresh finish.
- Serve it on plate.
Video
Notes
- Spice Level: Adjust the amount of Sichuan chili Peppers according to your heat preference. Can also add Sichuan Doubanjiang by your preference.
- Fish Selection: While Sea bass, Sea bream or tilapia are good for the recipe, you can experiment with other white fish varieties.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add or substitute other vegetables like potatoes, bean sprouts, zucchini, lotus root or bok choy to suit your taste.
- Add water during fry: If the wok is too hot, add some water during the frying can keep the Vegetables with fresh color, and prevent to get burned
