Hunan steamed fish head with chopped chillies
剁椒鱼头 (duòjiāo yútóu) — fish head (or fish steaks) steamed under salted red chillies
Walk into almost any restaurant in Changsha and a split fish head blanketed in scarlet chopped chillies will be on the table next to you. The chillies are salted and fermented, so they taste bright, sour and fruity as well as hot, and the steam carries their juices into the sweet, soft fish beneath; the meaty cheeks and the jelly-like flesh around the head are the prized parts. A last drizzle of smoking oil wakes it all up. When the fish is gone, Hunanese diners tip plain noodles into the leftover juices, and so should you. Chef's tip: buy the head from a fishmonger who has just cut it, with clear eyes and bright red gills; if that's hard to find, thick bone-in fish steaks work just as well.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the fish
For the topping
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 big-head carp or salmon head well under cold running water, scraping away any blood near the spine and pulling out any remaining gills. Pat dry. Clean the sink and board afterwards.
Step 2: Lay the halves cut side up on a heatproof plate that fits in your steamer or wok. Rub with ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, tuck the sliced half of ⅓ oz fresh ginger underneath and leave in the fridge for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Mix 5 ½ oz Hunan chopped salted chillies (duo jiao) with 4 cloves garlic, the chopped half of ⅓ oz fresh ginger and ½ tsp sugar. Spread it thickly over the fish so the surface is completely covered.
Step 4: Bring the water in the steamer to a full boil. Put the plate in, cover tightly and steam over a high heat for 12–15 minutes for a head, or 8–10 minutes for steaks. It is done when the flesh at the thickest part near the bone is opaque and flakes easily (145°F / 145 °F). Don't oversteam it: the cheeks turn dry and chalky.
15 minStep 5: Carefully lift out the plate (watch for scalding steam), pour off a little of the watery liquid if there is a lot, and scatter with 3 spring onions.
Step 6: Heat 3 tbsp neutral oil in a small pan until it just starts to smoke, then pour it over the spring onions and chillies so they sizzle. Drizzle 1 tbsp light soy sauce around the fish.
2 minStep 7: Serve at once, and when the fish has been eaten, toss 7 oz fresh wheat noodles in the remaining juices for a second course.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hunan steamed fish head with chopped chillies take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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