Yunnan spicy fish 酸菜鱼片

[abcdefg]

I admit that you might want to just think of this as Sichuan fish with a little less punch even though Yunnan has adopted it and made it a staple here. First met this dish in Chengdu several years ago where it was delicious but scorching. After that, I made a point of seeking it out here on home turf, in Kunming.

 

酸菜鱼片 could probably best be translated as pickled greens and fish slices, but that name doesn't have much pizzazz. Thought I would show you one way to make it that worked out well for me last night.

 

Went to the wet market yesterday morning with a well-defined mission, namely to round up the ingredients. I had read several recipes beforehand, but always like to consult the experts there about the fine points. They are my best resource; a living encyclopedia of accumulated knowledge.

 

First visited the fishmonger for advice about what kind of fish would be best. My research had come up with 草鱼 grass carp as the number one candidate. He agreed without any hesitation and helped me pick a fine specimen from the live tank where a couple dozen of them were churning around hoping for a stay of execution.

 

     

 

He asked whether I wanted a big fish or a small one. I told him one that was suitable for two people. He plucked a lively one out of the tank and held it up for my inspection. It was wiggling with vigor. I nodded, he knocked it in the head and put it on the scale. It would cost me 17 Yuan.

 

He deftly cleaned it and filleted it. Then sliced the two fillets into smaller pieces, cutting on a diagonal so that none would be too thick. He put those slices in one bag, then put the fish head, spine and tail in another bag so I could use them for stock.

 

We chatted about recipes. All these vendors know how to cook, so it's natural to get their advice instead of just buying on the run. It's one of the reasons I like going to the wet market instead of to an impersonal supermarket.

 

He told me his wife likes these grass carp when they aren't too large because their flesh is firm and not oily. He said they do have a distinctive flavor that not everyone likes, and that's one reason they are often prepared with pickled vegetables 酸菜。

 

I moved on with my two bags of fish and found a lady selling pickled vegetables around the corner. She had half a dozen varieties and I would have found it a bit overwhelming had we not been able to talk it over together. But as it was, I showed her the nice-looking fish and told her my heart was set on making 酸菜鱼片。

 

Her face lit up. "We are from 和顺县城 near 腾冲。One of my husband's favorite things. My grandkids like it too，even though they are picky eaters. （挑食） I usually make it on Sunday when they come over." And we were off to the races, my ears open wide, while she fills me in on the relative merits of her pungent wares. Hands down, the best bet was the pickled mustard greens. Still some fresh flavor, while not being too hot or overpoweringly sour.

 

She wanted to talk more about her home town and asked whether I had been there. I had; far west Yunnan, not far from the Burma border. Told her I admired the serene walled ancient town built around a blue lake up in the mountains. Admired their beautiful jade jewelry and mahogany furniture. 

 

Eventually I bought 2 Yuan worth of her best pickled greens, a generous amount. She double bagged them. Here's what part of them looked like once I got home. Must cut them up and rinse once with cold water just before using.

 

 

 

So far my total capital investment is 19 Yuan, but it is fast rising, because three small spring onions, some ginger and garlic were also required. So now we are talking about the princely sum of 20 to 25 Yuan.

 

Ready to cook now. Remember to first put on the rice, because the main dish is quick and easy. Make a rough stock from the fish head and spine. Don't need to season it. Rinse the sliced fish pieces. Don't need to remove the tender skin. Don't worry about the small bones; they are easy to spit out at the table, informal Chinese family style.

 

 

 

The second picture, above, is to give you an idea of size. Make a marinade from a tablespoon of cooking wine 黄酒, a tablespoon of light soy sauce 生抽, a half teaspoon of salt, couple dashes of white pepper 白椒粉 and a couple more of ground prickly ash peppers 花椒粉。Mix these ingredients into the fish using your hand or chopsticks. Do it gingerly so you don't tear the fish up. Let it stand about 10 minutes.

 

Pro tip is to add a little bit of corn starch 小粉 to the marinade so the fish will have a more velvety texture and the dish will develop a little gravy as it cooks.

 

 

 

Should add a comment about the Sichuan peppers, aka prickly ash, aka 花椒。They are delicious and special, but not everyone likes them. They have the effect of sort of numbing the tongue.

 

I prefer to use about half a teaspoon of them in this recipe instead of their ground powder, but my guest had a different opinion and I accommodated her wishes. The peppers have a crunch she doesn't like. One of the beauties of cooking at home is that you can adapt things to fit personal taste.

 

Here's what the peppers look like, next to the ground powder. Lots of them are grown in NW Yunnan, in rugged mountain farms outside Lijiang.

 

 

 

Finely slice some ginger and garlic. There are two main ways to prep these ubiquitous ingredients. Sometimes you want to mince them fine so that they get completely absorbed into what you are making. At other times, such as now, you want them to be large enough to let the diner to avoid eating them. They just flavor the dish, but aren't ingested.

 

   

 

The other principal dry ingredient are some Yunnan red peppers, 3 or 4 of them torn up. These have been dried, and are not very hot. When I've had this dish in Chengdu, they use fresh chilies instead and big clusters of green and red prickly ash peppers. They lend a superb flavor to the finished product and are recommended additions if your mouth is fireproof.

 

Slice three small spring onions, dividing the white parts from the green parts. The white parts take longer to cook and will be added first once we get over the fire. The green parts are mainly a garnish.

 

   

 

Prep time up to this point has only been about 10 minutes. Now we are ready to light the fire and spend 10 minutes more for a total of about 20. In my humble opinion, 20 or 25 minutes of my time and 20 or 25 Yuan of my money is not bad for a tasty home-made main dish. When you buy things like this in a restaurant, they can at times be fabulous, but they can also scrimp on the quality of the ingredients in ways you might prefer not to discover.

 

Saute the dried Yunnan pepper pieces, ginger and garlic in a tablespoon or two of cooking oil. You remember that garlic cooks faster than the others, so you put it in last. Stir them fast for half a minute or so, until they begin to release their aroma.

 

Add the pickled vegetables and white pieces of scallion together with a pinch of granulated white sugar. Add about 2 cups of the fish stock you made earlier. If you don't have fish stock, you can use chicken stock. If you don't have that, water will do. Boil gently 2 or 3 minutes, adding additional liquid if required.

 

Next add the fish, one piece at a time with chopsticks or a spoon. Don't just dump it all in at once. It will be real soupy at first and not look very exciting, but don't worry because it will thicken quickly and perk up.

 

     

 

Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring gently as needed. Don't get too vigorous or the fish will break up. Near the end, add the green scallion pieces. Must monitor the done-ness of the fish, since you want to cook it enough to change color but not enough to become mushy. Test a piece with the tines of a fork or the tip of a knife.

 

 

When ready, scoop it out into a large serving bowl along with plenty of juice. This is enough to feed four hungry people if you serve it with steamed rice and a side dish of vegetables. A small bowl of the soup plus a few spoons of rice makes for a guilty pleasure after you have officially finished the meal and are pretending to just be cleaning up.

 

The flavor might sound a bit strange when you just read about it, but in the mouth it is surprisingly pleasant and piquant without being overpowering. Good Yunnan family-style food 家常菜。Hope you will give it a try.

[abcdefg]

This recipe does not seem to have attracted much interest.

 

If you don't like fish, I understand. And if you don't like spicy food, I understand that too. But in case the recipe seemed unapproachable because it was all strung out and woven into a narrative, let me summarize it here in a more straightforward fashion.

 

1.  Main ingredients:

• Between 1 pound and a pound and a half of white-fleshed freshwater fish fillets, sliced. Buy 草鱼 if in China. Catfish, grouper, halibut and striped bass would work if you are in the west.
• Use the fish head, spine and tail to make a plain stock.
• 1 cup of pickled greens. Pickled mustard greens work best.  
• 3 medium scallions – chopped

2.  Seasonings:

• Ginger – about an inch, slivered
• Garlic – 3 or 4 cloves, slivered
• Dry red peppers – 3 or 4, broken in half 
• Sichuan prickly ash whole peppers – about ½ teaspoon
• Pinch of sugar

3.  Marinade:

• 1 tablespoon each of Chinese cooking wine, light soy sauce,
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of corn starch

Method:

 

1. Saute ginger, garlic, dry peppers, and prickly ash in a tablespoon or two of oil.

2. Add white part of the scallions and the pickled vegetables. Boil 2 or 3 minutes.

3. Add the fish, a piece at a time.

4. Add the fish stock.

5. Boil on low for 3 to 5 minutes, until the fish is done. Add scallion greens.

 

Dish it up. Serves 4. Takes roughly 20 minutes and costs roughly 20 Yuan.

 

Here's a footnote on types of fish, from a cooking standpoint:

1. http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/essential-ingredients/types-fish

2. http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1228/types-of-fish.asp

 

Here's a footnote on pickled greens, including how to make them:

http://www.chinasichuanfood.com/pickled-mustard-green-recipe/

[889]

Just reading the recipe, my gut's reaction is that with the Sichuan pepper and dry red peppers, the seasoning would overpower the delicacy of the fish. But I assume it doesn't, no?

[onebir]

They have similar recipes in Hunan, but with Hunan-style chopped semi-dry salted red peppers - a bit different to Sichuan spices but still pretty strong. If you pick out the peppers you can still taste the fish & pickled veggies.

[Shelley]

I always think its great that you share what you cook. I did give you a green arrow, but didn't comment because personally I don't like fish and the pickled greens look unappetising to me.

 

This is my personal opinion only, just because I don't like it doesn't mean others won't find it delicious.

 

Please don't let the lack of interest put you off sharing, maybe it just was not to people's taste.

 

I am sure your next dish will be excellent.

[陳德聰]

酸菜 for some reason has become less and less easy for me to stomach over time It's not that it tastes bad but it kind of makes it not so yummy anymore haha, but I love the whole rest of this. Love your food episodes.

[Zeppa]

I didn't reply because I haven't done anything with lotus root yet. But what struck me about the recipe was that I now know I can make pickled mustard greens. That is not necessary for you, and maybe I can get them in London too, but above all, when I get Chinese vegetables, I always get too many, and it's so easy to pickle things. I have been making sauerkraut and kimchi, but other things are even easier. So I started reading around about the various kinds of Chinese vegetables that might be pickled. Obviously I would make the dish then, in the long run.

[Alex_Hart]

Great looking recipe and wonderful market experience, abcd! I agree with you on the smaller markets. My local grocery store here in the states consists mostly of local, organic produce from local farms, but I still end up at the farmer's market more for the experience of talking to people and asking them about how to cook something, or what's in season. There was a market near 四川大学that had a family of 4 that made handmade noodles, next to an auntie who made her tofu. There were about a dozen different kinds of noodles and I really wasn't sure which to buy, so the 老板 asked the auntie for some tofu and threw some noodles in soup, along with the tofu. No charge! Who does that!? Just a totally different experience than 好又多 or grocery stores. (but it was also good business as I ended up buying way more noodles than I had intended...)

 

I'm a vegetarian here but intend on lapsing back into the world of fish upon getting to China. I've actually had something very similar to this on several occasions in Chengdu and gotta say - 酸菜 is something that should be in everybody's pantry. I lived in a dorm and our "kitchen" consisted of a rice cooker, but we would buy a bunch of different kinds of 酸菜 from a guy outside a large temple in 成都，make rice and that was a midnight snack! I also love 花椒 (which I use often in my own cooking). Agree it can be hard to share cooking with others when using 酸菜和花椒, I made 麻婆豆腐 for a group of people and only one thought the numbing spice was good. The rest ran the gamut from "is this poison?" to "it's weird!!!" Shame as I was quite proud of it. 

 

There was a restaurant in Chengdu where they had a giant flat fish on a cast iron skillet, covered in ten million 辣椒和花椒and stuffed with 酸菜. It was crunchy on the bottom, burnt, and tender on the top. It was mind boggling. Why am I going to Zhejiang instead of Sichuan or Yunnan!? 

 

One thing I always found amusing is how quickly we grow accustomed to new prices/currencies (referring to your "princely price"). When I first got to Sichuan, I couldn't believe a bowl of 担担面 was only 7 RMB. It was easy to buy anything! 25 RMB fish? That's only $4!? Let's eat it every night! After a month, it was "oh wow, 25 RMB?  不要不要，我们去吃一碗牛肉面，好不好？“

[abcdefg]

889 --

Just reading the recipe, my gut's reaction is that with the Sichuan pepper and dry red peppers, the seasoning would overpower the delicacy of the fish.

 

You know, that's exactly what I thought when I first looked at this recipe on line, and that was even after eating it in real life and thinking it was delicious! The first time I tried making it, I toned everything down; used less of the various spices. But that made it kind of boring. I'm guessing that this dish works well in its original form partly because 草鱼 isn't a delicate fish. It's not Dover sole by a long shot. It has a distinctive flavor that is complimented by the various seasonings. 

 

What results is a hearty "peasant/farmer" dish; not "haute cuisine" for the urban elite, but food for the hard working 老百姓。Still, after all is said and done, I would have to admit that this is probably one of those "love it or hate it" meals, not something that could ever be considered "safe" to make for people you don't know without asking them first or without having plenty of alternative options available on the table.

 

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Onebir -- I like some of those red-hot Hunan lake fish recipes too. One thing that can be difficult to grasp is that different peppers impart more than just raw Scoville-heat-unit fire to a dish. They impart subtle flavors as well. As 湖南人，this is something you know.

 

In the US, I live in Texas, and grew up not far from the Mexico border. So I had plenty of spicy Mexican food early on. Later I came to love the lively flavors of Indian food too. But the spicy tastes of Sichuan, Hunan, and Yunnan are distinctive from Mexico and India. And even the cuisine of these three different regions in China is not all the same; it's not interchangeable; it's subtly different.

 

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Shelley -- Thanks for your encouragement. 

 

"I don't like fish and the pickled greens look unappetising to me."

 

I agree about the pickled greens not being pretty. Wish they were more attractive. Yesterday for lunch I had a big bowl of red beans with chopped pickled greens 酸菜红豆 beside a bowl of steamed rice. Even the picture on the wall of the street stall was not appetizing, but the end result tasted good. Made for a filling lunch and cost 8 Yuan.

 

Sometimes I come across tips and tricks for "getting rid of the fishy taste" when cooking fish. I generally don't follow those methods, preferring to let the taste of the fish remain fully intact and shine through. If I have guests who don't like fish, I make a chicken dish, tofu or something else for them instead.

[abcdefg]

And, Alex_Hart, you have hit the nail on the head!

 

There was a market near 四川大学that had a family of 4 that made handmade noodles, next to an auntie who made her tofu. There were about a dozen different kinds of noodles and I really wasn't sure which to buy, so the 老板 asked the auntie for some tofu and threw some noodles in soup, along with the tofu. No charge! Who does that!?

 

This is something I associate with living in China and it will always be among my fondest memories of life here on the Maniland. I like your comparison to a good farmer's market in the US. That's about as close as one can come. And being able to chat with the vendors, who have an affinity for their wares, is invaluable. I learn so much from them and always have a good time doing it.

 

There was a restaurant in Chengdu where they had a giant flat fish on a cast iron skillet, covered in ten million 辣椒和花椒and stuffed with 酸菜. It was crunchy on the bottom, burnt, and tender on the top. It was mind boggling.

 

That sounds amazing and glorious! One of those things that has to be experienced to be believed. An authentic and exotic discovery. Probably not reproducible elsewhere. National Geographic heaven!

 

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Zeppa --

I didn't reply because I haven't done anything with lotus root yet.

 

It's Sunday here and I have some time. Planning to go to the market in a few minutes and buy some more lotus root. Want to have another go at making stuffed lotus root. It's one of those dishes I love to eat in a restaurant, but can only cobble together about half as well as it should be done despite several attempts.

 

Have posted about previous attempts which were not totally successful. What I come up with usually tastes good, but doesn't look very good. So I'll keep trying until I get it right, then come back and share what tricks finally made it possible. Wish me luck!

 

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And thank you for your kind words 陈德聪。

[lips]

Great posts and stories. I could taste the dish just by reading the post and looking at the pictures.

The best experiences I have had of Hunnan and Sichuan food were at small out of the way restaurants that few non-locals visit.

I personally do not find the grass carp being overpowered, no matter how spicy the dish is, because the spices do not get *inside* the firm flesh. With pork, the spices would completely get into the meat and all I can taste are the spices and the texture of the meat.

[abcdefg]

The best experiences I have had of Hunnan and Sichuan food were at small out of the way restaurants that few non-locals visit.

 

That's a good point, Lips. The other thing that always surprises me is how widespread these restaurants are throughout all of China and even throughout other parts of East Asia. I haven't seen any hard figures, but it seems that wherever I travel in this part of the world, some Sichuan and Hunnan people have gone there before and opened small restaurants. And 酸菜鱼 seems to usually be on the menu.

 

In particular, I ran into it over and over while traveling in Malaysia and Indonesia. Sometimes the Chinese people living there were originally from Fujian or Guangdong, but if not you could pretty well bet they had roots in Sichuan or Hunan.

[Shelley]

Sometimes I come across tips and tricks for "getting rid of the fishy taste" when cooking fish.

 

I have been told "the fishy taste" is an indication of it not being very fresh fish. And very fresh fish tastes more of the sea or lake etc.

 

I do like a bit of cod or a nice steamed piece of salmon and I have also enjoyed in a restaurant a very tasty dish of monk fish. So I suppose I don't dislike fish I just am very fussy

 

It is one thing about Chinese food that is usually excellent, fish so fresh they are still swimming   It was explained to me it was easier to keep them alive than to try and keep them from going off when dead, and this applies to most fish and meat. You catch your chicken and then it is expertly butchered and prepared for you to take home and eat that very day.

 

 

[Alex_Hart]

@Shelley: I don't think that's necessarily true. A lot of fish have a fishier taste, especially oily fishy. A lot of people associate the blue fish native to my parts with "very fishy" even when it comes right off the boat! Part of this is preparation as the blue fish has a coating of oiliness that you need to avoid serving, but the flesh itself just has a "fishy" taste. My mother is definitely not a fan of fish and essentially limits her consumption to filet of sole and similar "un-fishy" fish. 

There is a difference, sadly discernible to the taste, of older fish. So we really have (I think) two categories of fishiness: natural fishiness (or oiliness, or gaminess) versus aged fishiness. The former is a matter of taste, the latter a sign to be wary!

 

I've always been skeptical about the live fish. Sometimes, they look lovely. But some of the Chinese markets near me often have absolutely grotesque looking tanks that are so packed with fish that you can't help but feel pity for them. My friend from the mainland tries very hard to convince me that these pathetic creatures are better than the nearby fish store (run by Koreans with a predominantly Italian clientele) where everything is sitting on ice. I'm unconvinced. It would be interesting to compare well kept live fish versus well kept frozen fish, however. 

[abcdefg]

I lived part of two years in Zhuhai 珠海 on the coast of Guangdong and admit to being spoiled by having so much fresh-caught ocean fish available. For a long time I wanted no part of Kunming's fresh water catch, which comes from nearby lakes and rivers. But eventually my local friends convinced me that it was worth sampling.

 

Supermarket fish here float like driftwood in their small glass tanks, lethargic or half dead. I refuse to buy them. They have three of this and four of that; many different kinds. By contrast, the vendors in the wet market offer less variety, but the fish look lively and healthy. They do a brisk business and have lots of turnover.

 

When the fishmonger plucks out a specimen for my approval, it looks clean and vigorous, wiggling and shiny. He kills and cleans it on the spot, so when I get it home and start to work with it in my kitchen, it's only minutes old.

 

 

I must confess to sometimes having second thoughts about "farmed" inland fish in China across the board because of China's abysmal record on water pollution. Will I glow in the dark after eating it? What type of cancer should I expect?

 

The best compromise I've been able to reach is to always buy from one trusted vendor. I don't get sick when I eat his fish, so I return over and again, realizing full well that I might still grow a third ear or an extra couple fingers ten years down the road.

[889]

Lord only knows what the hormones in those giant chicken breasts will do to you.

[Alex_Hart]

If you grow that third ear, do let us know! At least we'll be able to avoid the second nose beginning to form on your elbow.

[abcdefg]

#16 and #17 -- Haha! I will continue to hope for the best as I sprint towards the finish line of life.

[laurenth]

@abcdefg: Apart from the fact that your recipes always wet my appetite and make me want to cook, I'd like to tell you that you write so well, with humour, style, lively dialogues, a rich and detailed vocabulary... Your English is a joy to read.

[abcdefg]

Thanks, Laurenth. 谢谢夸奖。