Recipe: Suan Cai Yu (Sichuan Fish with Pickled Greens)

The Suan Cai Yu, or Sichuan Fish with Pickled Greens, is a fish stew dish with pickled mustard greens. For this dish, the fish is thinly sliced and immersed in a broth, made from chicken stock and Sichuan pickles. The term ‘Suan Cai Yu’ translates to hot and sour fish with pickled mustard greens.

This dish is part of the classic Shui Zhu dishes. Although it is not considered a well-known dish, if you love Sichuan cuisines, you might want to try this recipe out. Here are the ingredients below.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• • 2 Pieces of Chili Peppers (Dried)
  • 6 Cloves of Garlic (Halved)
  • 2 Tbsp of Doubanjian
  • ¼ Cup of Pickled Jalapeno
  • 3 Cups of Chicken Stock
  • ½ tsp of Salt
  • 3 Green Onions (Chopped)
  • 1 Slice of Ginger
  • 250 g of Sichuan Pickled Mustard Greens (Sliced)
  • 1 Tbsp of Shaoxing Wine
  • 2 tsp of Sugar
  • ¼ tsp of White Pepper Powder

Marinade

• • 400 g of Catfish Fillets
  • ¼ tsp of White Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp of Potato Starch
  • 1 Egg White
  • ⅛ tsp of Salt

Oil

• • 2 Tbsp of Peanut Oil
  • 1 Tbsp of Doubanjiang
  • 1 tsp of Sichuan Peppercorn

Preparation Methods:

1. Start by slicing the catfish by tilting the knife at 45 degrees from the cutting board. In a sawing motion, slice the fish at ½ cm thick slices.
2. Mix together the fish, salt, egg white, white peppers and potato starch in a mixing bowl. Gently stir the ingredients with your own hands until the fish is coated with a thin layer of starch. Set it aside to be marinated for about 10 to 20 minutes.
3. In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until the oil is warm. Proceed to add green onion, garlic, ginger and chilli pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low when the oil starts to sizzle. Let it cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Proceed to add the doubanjiang. Mix the ingredients and cook until all of the herbs are coated evenly.
5. Add some Sichuan pickles and jalapenos into the skillet. Cook the ingredients and stir it for 5 minutes.
6. Pour some Shaoxing wine and stir the ingredients a few times. Add some chicken stock and cook at medium heat until it is boiling. Stir the ingredients a few times.
7. Proceed to add chicken stock and cook it at medium heat until it starts boiling. Reduce the heat to medium-low and leave the broth to simmer for about 5 minutes. Place the pickles in a big serving bowl.
8. Ensure that in the skillet, there is at least 1 cm of broth so that the fish slices are fully submerged in the broth. If necessary, add more chicken stock and then return to a boil.
9. Carry on with adding sugar, salt and white pepper powder and then stir the ingredients well. The broth should be a little bit salty.
10. Turn the heat to medium heat and then add the fish slices in two batches. Transfer the fish slices to the skillet and use a pair of tongs to split the slices. Cook fish for 30 seconds and then transfer the fish and some soup in a serving bowl. 
11. In a skillet, heat the oil until it is warm. Proceed to add the peppercorns and doubanjiang. Let it cook in the skillet and mix the ingredients until the oil becomes red and the peppercorns turn dark.
12. Remove the solid ingredients with a spatula. Pour the oil on the fish when it is still hot. Lastly, sprinkle some green onions as a garnish and serve the dish warm.

Hungry for more Sichuan dishes? Check out our recipe for Ma Po Tofu or order it on foodpanda now! Just a few clicks and food will be right at your doorstep.