Shui Zhu Yu — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A fiery Sichuan boiled fish dish where tender fish fillets swim in a bubbling pool of chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilies. Despite the gentle name, this dish delivers an electrifying mala numbing heat.

Ingredients

500g firm white fish fillets, sliced thin
1 egg white
2 tablespoons cornstarch
200g bean sprouts
3 tablespoons Sichuan doubanjiang chili bean paste
2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
15 dried red chilies
4 cloves garlic, sliced
3cm piece ginger, sliced
500ml chicken broth
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
100ml chili oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1 Marinate the thinly sliced fish fillets with egg white, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt for fifteen minutes to create a protective velvety coating that keeps them tender.
2 Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for one minute, then spread them across the bottom of a large deep serving bowl to create a bed for the fish.
3 Heat vegetable oil in a wok and stir-fry the doubanjiang, ginger, and garlic for two minutes until the oil turns a deep red and the paste is fragrant and toasted.
4 Add the chicken broth and soy sauce, bring to a boil, then gently slide the marinated fish slices into the simmering liquid and cook for three minutes until just opaque.
5 Pour the fish and broth over the bean sprouts, then heat chili oil until smoking and pour it over the dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and green onions placed on top, creating a dramatic sizzle.

Did You Know?

Shui zhu literally means water-boiled, a deliberately understated name that belies the intense heat of this Sichuan dish — a classic example of Chinese culinary humor.