Shui Zu Yu: Spicy Boiled Sichuan Fish

This is a typical Sichuan dish that’s quick, light and tongue-tingling. Make sure you find real Sichuan peppercorns. If your mouth doesn’t go a little numb, they’re not real. You want the burn, because it’s not really heat, per se; it’s numbing. And sometimes we all need a little numbing. Besides, the chile de arbol bring the fire…

The original recipe usually calls for Chinese spicy Sichuan bean sauce, which has gluten in it. To make this gluten fre version, I upped the amount of garlic and chile peppers and added a little miso for umami depth. 

Shui Zu Yu
Serves 2-3

1 egg white, beaten
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
3 thin slices fresh gingerroot
1 (6 ounce) fillet sustainable sea bass or haddock, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp vegetable oil
10 Sichuan peppercorns
8 dried chile de arbol peppers
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp miso
2 cups water
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup sliced Napa cabbage or a bunch of bean sprouts
2 tsp + 1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp olive or vegetable oil

Stir the egg white, cornstarch, white pepper, and ginger together in a large bowl. Add the fix and mix to coat. Set aside to marinate at least 15 minutes.

Heat the first 2 tsp oil in a medium skillet or pot over medium heat; cook and stir the peppercorns and dried chile peppers in the until dark red and coated in oil (they will look almost black, but shouldn’t smell burnt). Remove from the skillet. Mince the chile peppers in a mortar and pestle or carefully with a knife (wear gloves if you can!). Mash the peppercorns finely (mortar and pestle or back of a knife) and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in the pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp garlic and cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the water, soy sauce and miso and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then remove the ginger slices from the marinating fish (discard ginger). Add the fish to the skillet and cook at a boil until the flesh turns white, about 1 minute.

Divide the celery and napa cabbage (or bean sprouts) between two soup bowls. Pour the fish and sauce over the celery and cabbage. Top with the remaining 1 tsp garlic and the toasted peppercorns and chile peppers.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp vegetable or olive oil in a skillet or pot over high heat (it could be the same one as before as long as nothing sticking it it that will burn). Just before it starts to smoke, remove it from the heat and pour the hot oil over the garlic, peppercorns and chile peppers. Garnish with cilantro and serve with a bowl of steamed rice per person.