Braised Fish Chunks in Soy Sauce (红烧鱼块)

Category: Home-style Chinese cuisine
Flavor: Savory and fragrant
Main ingredient: Fresh fish (grass carp or black carp mid-section)
Cooking method: Pan-frying, deep-frying, then braising
Suitable for: General public

Overview

Braised Fish Chunks in Soy Sauce is a classic Chinese home-style dish made mainly from the mid-section of grass carp or black carp. The technique involves pan-frying or deep-frying fish chunks, then braising them in soy sauce and seasonings until the sauce is rich and the fish is tender.

Preparation usually involves marinating the fish with salt and cooking wine to remove odors, then adding ginger, garlic, and soy sauce for flavor. Key steps include pan-frying both sides of the fish until golden, pouring sauce in stages, and thickening with cornstarch slurry. Heat control is essential.

Fresh, live fish with bright red gills and clear eyes are preferred. The dark membrane and fishy line inside the belly should be removed before cutting. Fish chunks are often coated with flour or starch before frying to preserve firmness. Grass carp is high in unsaturated fatty acids and selenium, supporting heart health and anti-aging. Garnishes often include scallions and coriander. Some variations develop into rice bowl dishes. Seasoning usually combines light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and a sweet-sour balance.

Cooking Methods

Method 1

Ingredients:
- 350g fresh fish (grass carp or black carp mid-section)
- 50g bamboo shoots, 15g cornstarch slurry
- Seasonings: 5g ginger, 5g scallion, 20g sugar, 50g soy sauce, 30g Shaoxing wine, 60g oil, MSG

Steps:
1. Cut fish into rectangles (approx. 5×3 cm).
2. Heat wok, grease, add oil, and pan-fry fish chunks.
3. Add ginger and wine, simmer; then soy sauce, sugar, and hot water. Reduce heat and braise.
4. Thicken with cornstarch, garnish with scallion, finish with bright oil.

Tips:
- Heat pan before oil to prevent sticking. Rub with ginger first.
- Fry skin side down first, then flip.
- Use low heat to avoid breaking fish.

Method 2

Ingredients:
Grass carp chunks, soaked black fungus, aromatics, soy sauce, vinegar, chili, Sichuan peppercorns, sugar, water starch.

Steps:
1. Marinate fish with salt, wine, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, pepper.
2. Fry fish until golden, set aside.
3. Stir-fry aromatics and chili, return fish.
4. Add black fungus, seasonings, and water.
5. Simmer until sauce thickens, thicken with starch, garnish with scallions.

Method 3

Ingredients:
Fish chunks, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions.

Steps:
1. Marinate fish with salt, pepper, wine, ginger. Coat with starch.
2. Fry until golden.
3. Stir-fry aromatics, add fish.
4. Pour in prepared sauce (soy, oyster, vinegar, sugar, starch slurry).
5. Simmer until thickened. Add scallions or garlic sprouts before serving.

Method 4

Ingredients:
One grass carp, ginger, scallion, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, water.

Steps:
1. Slice ginger, tie scallion into knots, clean fish, dry, and cut into sections.
2. Fry fish with ginger slices, then add wine, dark soy, sugar, and water.
3. Simmer covered, spoon sauce over fish mid-way.
4. Cook ~10 minutes, add salt, thicken sauce, garnish with scallions.

Tips:
- Remove belly’s dark membrane to avoid odor.
- Pat fish dry before frying to prevent oil splatter.
- Spoon sauce over fish while braising for deeper flavor.

Nutritional Value

Grass carp (鲩鱼) is one of China’s “Four Major Freshwater Fish.”

• Rich in unsaturated fatty acids: Improves circulation, supports cardiovascular health.
  
• High in selenium: Anti-aging, beauty-enhancing, and anti-cancer benefits.
  
• Tender but not greasy: Suitable for weak appetites or frail individuals.

Preparation Tips

1. Check shape: Healthy fish are proportional; polluted fish may be deformed.
   
2. Check eyes: Fresh fish have clear, protruding eyes; stale fish have sunken, cloudy eyes.
   
3. Check gills: Fresh = bright red; stale = dark gray or purple.
   
4. Check body: Fresh fish are firm, glossy, with tight scales.
   
5. Check meat: Fresh = elastic, firm, odorless; stale = loose, smelly.
   
6. Check belly: Fresh = flat, recessed anus; stale = swollen belly, protruding anus.

📌 Summary:
Braised Fish Chunks in Soy Sauce is a flavorful home-style dish. With crispy outside and tender inside coated in rich soy-based sauce, it is appetizing, nourishing, and a favorite for family meals.