Feeling adventurous? Try this delicious Hunan delicacy! Crispy, yet soft; moist, yet not greasy- this fish is a great way to expand your culinary horizons!
Hunan Fish known as duo jiao yu tou is one of the famous dished in Hunan province of China.
When I go to a restaurant with my family, I usually order a hunan fish like the one below if it is on the menu.
The spicy hunan chili sauce is served with tender fish head meat.
It is a delicious combination, and a traditional Hunan staple.
Since I make my own Hunan chilies sauce, I can easily make this dish at home!
After trying several different recipes and preparation methods, I have made a summary into this one, easy-to-follow, recipe I am going to share with you today.
I have seen a lot of people making Hunan fish, and I have some tricks to make the most authentic version of hunan style.
Need more fish inspiration? Check out the collections below!
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These techniques are not difficult to duplicate. If you follow these tips, you will greatly improve from taste and appearance of your dish.
It is definitely worth a try!
Ingredients:
- 1) About 1kg Fish head
- 2) 100g of Hunan chilies sauce
- 3) 10 Pickled peppers (optional)
- 4) 1 tablespoon of douchi
- 5) 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 6) 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce
- 7) 2 tablespoons of cooking wine
- 8) 1 tablespoon oil
- 9) 1 tsp Salt
- 9) 1 tsp Sugar
- 10) 2 cloves of Garlic
- 11) 1 small piece of Ginger
- 12) 2 Green Onion
13) Cellophane noodles (soak until they become soft)
Procedure:
Step 1: Cut the fish head. It is easiest to use a butcher’s knife as shown above to split the head in half and lay flat.
Step 2: The black film on the inside of the fish head is removed, then sprinkle salt, cooking wine on both sides of the fish head.
Place some of the ginger on it, and marinate.
Step 3: The pickled peppers, green onions, ginger, etc. are prepared.
Step 4: Heat a pan with a bit of oil, add ginger, hunan chili sauce, pickled pepper, dried douchi, miced garlic, a small amount of sugar, and sauté for a few moments until all ingredients are incorporated.
Step 5: Boil a large pot of water, add the fish head and simmer it until the fish begins to lose its pinkish color.
Step 6: Put the fish head eyes up in the dish, spread the previously fried ingredients, and then put a little fresh hunan chilies sauce, and finally put some Cellophane noodles (soaked soft) underneath.
Step 7: Pour the light soy sauce, oyster sauce and cooking wine into a small bowl, mix well and pour over the fish head, then top with sesame oil.
Step 8: Put the fish in the steamer for 10 minutes. After that point, continue to simmer for 2 minutes.
Step 9: Sprinkle with chopped green onion. Pour the hot oil over the top. It is now ready to serve!
Tips:
1. In China, you can buy just the head or the whole fish on the market. I pickled with salt the fish body, so I bought a whole fish
2. It doesn’t matter if there is no Pickled pepper. The simple hunan chili sauce is also very good. The hunan chili sauce I used is made by myself. Check out the guide for home-made hunan chili sauce.
3. The black film on both sides of the fish head is also the source of the astringency. It is best to remove it. You can also boil longer. You can try this technique if you are sensitive to the fishy smell.
4. Put whatever you like under the fish head, such as Winter melon slices, potato slices. In this recipe, I use Cellophane noodles.
Hunan Fish -A Famous Chinese Steamed Fish Recipe
Ingredients
- About 1kg Fish head
- 100 g Hunan chilies sauce
- 10 Pickled peppers optional
- 1 tablespoon douchi
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 small piece of Ginger
- 2 Green Onion
- Cellophane noodles soak until they become soft
Instructions
- Cut the fish head. It is easiest to use a butcher’s knife as shown above to split the head in half and lay flat.
- The black film on the inside of the fish head is removed, then sprinkle salt, cooking wine on both sides of the fish head. Place some of the ginger on it, and marinate.
- The pickled peppers, green onions, ginger, etc. are prepared.
- Heat a pan with a bit of oil, add ginger, hunan chili sauce, pickled pepper, dried douchi, miced garlic, a small amount of sugar, and sauté for a few moments until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Boil a large pot of water, add the fish head and simmer it until the fish begins to lose its pinkish color.
- Put the fish head eyes up in the dish, spread the previously fried ingredients, and then put a little fresh hunan chilies sauce, and finally put some Cellophane noodles (soaked sofunderneath.
- Pour the light soy sauce, oyster sauce and cooking wine into a small bowl, mix well and pour over the fish head, then top with sesame oil.
- Put the fish in the steamer for 10 minutes. After that point, continue to simmer for 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle with chopped green onion. Pour the hot oil over the top. It is now ready to serve!
