One Cut of Fish, Two Ways | Steamed & Braised Fish

One cut of fish belly becomes two Chinese home-style dishes: bone-in pieces braised with Puning fermented soybean paste, and boneless strips steamed with garlic and fermented black beans.

Separating the fish by structure allows each part to cook differently. The sturdier bone-in pieces can handle the movement and stronger seasoning of the wok, while gentle steaming keeps the boneless strips intact.

The full recipe for both dishes is below.

FULL RECIPE

Important measurement note:
“1 spoonful” refers to the small seasoning spoon shown in the video. For consistent results, use the same spoon for all listed measurements.


FISH PREPARATION

• 1 cut of fish belly
• Total weight: 1kg

1. Carefully separate the boneless flesh from the rib section

2. Chop the bone-in section into bite-size pieces

3. Cut the boneless flesh into evenly sized strips

Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them cook evenly

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DISH 1: BRAISED BONE-IN FISH

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade:

• Bone-in fish pieces
• 1 spoonful salt
• 2 spoonfuls chicken bouillon powder
• 2 spoonfuls cornstarch
• 1 spoonful Chinese cooking wine
• 2 spoonfuls cooking oil

For braising:

• Cooking oil, as needed
• Sliced ginger, as needed
• Sliced garlic, as needed
• 1 spoonful chicken bouillon powder
• 2 spoonfuls soy sauce
• 2 spoonfuls Puning fermented soybean paste
• Water, enough for a short braise
• Celery, cut into short pieces
• Green and red bell peppers, sliced
• Ground white pepper, to taste
• A small amount of cooking oil to finish
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DISH 2: STEAMED FISH WITH GARLIC AND BLACK BEANS

INGREDIENTS

For cleaning the fish:

• Boneless fish strips
• 1 spoonful salt
• 1 spoonful Chinese cooking wine
• Clean water, as needed

For the marinade:

• 1 spoonful salt
• 1 spoonful chicken bouillon powder
• 2 spoonfuls ground white pepper
• 2 spoonfuls cooking oil

For the topping:

• Chicken bouillon powder, as needed
• Minced garlic, as needed
• Fermented black beans, as needed
• Oyster sauce, as needed
• Cooking oil, as needed

For finishing:

• Chopped scallions
• Finely diced red pepper

IMPORTANT TIPS

• Fish thickness affects cooking time more than weight, so use the visual doneness standards as well as the stated time

• Bring the steamer water to a full boil before adding the fish

• Arrange the boneless strips in one layer for even steaming

• Fermented soybean paste, fermented black beans, soy sauce, oyster sauce and chicken bouillon are all salty. Taste before adding extra salt

• Stir the bone-in pieces gently until their coating sets, or the flesh may break apart

• Use separate utensils and plates for raw and cooked fish

• If using a different measuring spoon, adjust all seasonings proportionally



CHAPTERS

00:00 One Cut, Two Dishes
00:10 Separating Flesh and Bone
00:49 Bone-In Pieces: Into the Wok
03:29 Boneless Strips: Into the Steamer


The complete recipe is above. Which would you try first—the savory braised fish or the gently steamed fish?

#ChineseFood #FishRecipe #ChineseCooking