Sichuan Boiled Fish – Shui Zhu Yu

Sichuan Boiled Fish or Shui zhu yu is a famous Sichuan dish that has spread widely and has conquered the taste of most Chinese people with its special taste.

What is Sichuan Boiled Fish (Shui zhu yu)?

Boiled fish was first popular in Chongqing city, China. It is usually made from fresh grass carp, bean sprouts, and chili. The fish taste smooth and tender, oily but not greasy; hemp and spicy but no bitter.
There are several key factors in making a delicious boiled fish, such as the emphasis on peppers, fresh fish, fresh side dishes and the chef’s control of the fire.

History of Shui Zhu Yu

Boiled fish is derived from the hot pot dish in Chongqing and was originally launched for drivers.
One day, a Sichuan cuisine chef was a guest at the friend’s house on the riverside. Since his friend’s family only had fish, he tried to cook with only fish. The taste was amazing. Since then, the chef has begun to study the boiled fish.

Based on the characteristics of the fish, he strives for excellence in terms of ingredients and styling. After more than a year of hard work, the method of making boiled fish in 1985 was determined. During this period in 1983, at a cooking competition held in Chongqing, the chef won the award for this dish and made it flourish.

What kind of fish do I use for Shui zhu yu?

Tilapia, catfish, grass carp, silver carp, spotted silver carp (preferably not carp)

How to cut fish fillets

1. Remove the fish from the scales and remove the internal organs, and pay attention to clean the black membrane in the fish belly;
2. Cut the fishtail and remove the spine;
3. Cut the fish head and cut it from the middle. Cut the ribs down and cut them into pieces. Be careful not to cut the fishbone (fishing can be left);
4. Slicing of fish: The kitchen knife cuts the fish into butterfly-like pieces of meat in a direction from head to tail. Be careful not to cut the small thorns in the fish.

What pepper is used in Sichuan boiled fish?

The key to the spicy taste of boiled fish depends on the quality of raw materials such as pepper and Sichuanese peppercorn.

The authentic boiled fish uses a dry red pepper commonly known as the “bullet”. The pepper is thick, fresh, and has few seeds. The best quality pepper is spicy with a little sweet. It does not turn into burnt black in the production of high-temperature chili oil.

The Sichuanese peppercorn that is matched with pepper is more particular. Only the good Sichuanese peppercorn can produce special hemp. The peel of the high-quality Sichuanese peppercorn has a special aroma with strong and lasting hemp.

Cooking Tips:

1. Pay attention to the scales of the tail and crotch when cleaning. If the fisherman cleans when purchasing, these two parts are easy to clean and there be no residue.

2. The salt of the salted fish can be indispensable because if the fish is not salted in advance, add salt when cooking, the taste will not be ideal.

3. Side dishes can be a variety of as you like, I strongly recommend tofu, because tofu is very easy to blend into the delicious taste of the soup. But before using tofu, be sure to first boil the tofu taste with salt water. Other side dishes such as potatoes, enoki mushrooms, bean sprouts, lettuce, lettuce, cabbage, fans and so on.

Eating precautions

1. The amount of salt in boiled fish is far beyond the normal standard. Women who consume boiled fish during menstruation can aggravate edema and are prone to fatigue. In addition, excessive intake of salt can easily cause nervousness, elevated blood pressure, and can affect the elasticity of blood vessels.

2. 30 to 50 grams of edible oil per person per day (including the amount of oil in the food) can meet the needs of the body. However, the oil used to cook the boiled fish is not only used in a large amount but also repeatedly heated. Excessive intake of oil leads to excessive intake of body fat.

3. Add excess pepper to the boiled fish. Eating this way will have a strong stimulation on the digestive tract, please be cautious.

Sichuan Boiled Fish – Shui Zhu Yu Recipe:

You’ll need:

1 grass carp (1500g)
300g tofu skin, shredded
300g green vegetable
2 tablespoons doubanjiang
1 green onion
1/2 tablespoon ginger
1/2 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon cooking wine
1 egg
1 teaspoon pepper powder
1 tablespoon starch
2 tablespoons sesame oil
50g red pepper
1tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Sichuanese peppercorn
2 anise
1 cinnamon stick

How to make Sichuan Boiled Fish (Shui Zhu Yu)?

1. Wash the grass carp. Taken the meat along with the fish bones, and cut it into pieces. Add it with cooking wine, egg white, salt, pepper and starch in a bowl and mix well. Set aside and marinated it for about 10 minutes.

2. Heat a wok with sesame oil, and stir-fry the tofu skin and green vegetable until fragrant. Transfer in a large bowl and set aside.

3. Heat a wok with oil and doubanjiang, and stir-fry the Sichuanese peppercorn, green onion, ginger, garlic, red pepper until fragrant. Add the fish born and fish head and stir-fry until discolored.

4. Add water in the wok and cook it under small heat for 10 minutes. Add the fish fillets in the wok and cook until it becomes white and float to the surface. Season with sesame oil and salt. And then, pour the fish soup into the large bowl of tofu skin.

5. Heat a wok with 100g oil until it smokes. Pour the hot oil on the fish fillets. Serve.