Sizzling Steamed Fish with Chinese Broccoli and Chili Crisp
By Christina PhanPublished on December 12, 2022
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Chili Crisp
¼ cup red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons gochugaru 1 ½ teaspoons table salt 1 ½ teaspoons sugar ¾ cup vegetable oil 2 large shallots, sliced thin4 garlic cloves, sliced thin¼ cup sliced almonds 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted1 ½ teaspoons soy sauceChinese Broccoli
¼ cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon oyster sauce ½ teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 6 ounces salt pork, rind removed, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into ¼-inch cubes4 garlic cloves, minced⅛–¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 pound Chinese broccoli, trimmed and cut into 2-inch piecesSteamed Fish
1 (2½-inch) piece ginger, peeled8 scallions 4 (6-ounce) skin-on branzino fillets or sea bass fillets, ½ to ¾ inch thick3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine ¼ cup dark soy sauce 3 tablespoons sugar 1½ cups pea sprouts or pea shoots ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves ¼ cup vegetable oilBefore You Begin
Fill the wok, skillet, or sauté pan with just enough water so that it comes up slightly below the slats in the bottom tier of the bamboo steamer. The water should not touch the slats or the food may boil. Traditionally, this dish is prepared with a whole fish. If you would like, use two 1-pound fish, scaled and gutted, and put the ginger rounds, halved scallions, and wine inside the fish. You will need to curve the fish to fit inside the steamer basket and increase the steaming time in step 4 to 15 minutes. The Chinese broccoli can be prepared ahead and kept warm or cooked while the fish steams. The chili crisp can be prepared several days in advance. For a spicier dish, use larger amount of red pepper flakes. Serve with steamed sushi rice.
Instructions
- Combine pepper flakes, gochugaru, salt, and sugar in small heatproof bowl. Heat oil, shallots, and garlic in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until shallots and garlic are golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Use slotted spoon to transfer shallots and garlic to plate. Pour hot oil into bowl with pepper flake mixture. Stir in almonds, sesame seeds, and soy sauce and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Once oil mixture has cooled, stir in shallots and garlic. (Chili crisp can be refrigerated for several days.)
- Combine broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and pepper in small bowl. Heat oil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add salt pork and cook, turning often, until browned and crisp on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to paper towel–lined plate. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and broccoli to fat left in wok and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth mixture, increase heat to high, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Top with crispy pork and cover to keep warm.
- Cut four ⅛-inch-thick rounds from ginger. Cut remaining ginger into 2-inch-long matchsticks. Cut 6 scallions into 3-inch long matchsticks; halve remaining 2 scallions crosswise.
- Fill wok, 12-inch skillet, or 12-inch sauté pan with just enough water to reach bottom of bamboo steamer. Bring water to boil over high heat. Set 2 tiers of bamboo steamer on counter and place shallow dish slightly smaller than diameter of basket in each tier. Place 2 rounds of ginger and 1 halved scallion on each dish. Place 2 branzino fillets, skin-side up, on top of ginger and scallions on each dish. Pour wine evenly over each fillet. Assemble bamboo steamer, setting top of bamboo steamer in place. Carefully place steamer over boiling water. Steam until branzino registers 140 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. While branzino cooks, stir soy sauce and sugar in small bowl until sugar has dissolved. Spread pea sprouts on platter.
- Once branzino is cooked, transfer each fillet, along with the cooked ginger and scallion to platter and arrange over pea sprouts. Garnish each fillet with ginger matchsticks, scallion matchsticks, and cilantro leaves. Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Drizzle soy sauce mixture over branzino, followed by hot oil. Serve immediately with Chinese broccoli and chili crisp.
for the chili crisp
for the chinese broccoli
for the steamed fish
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes coolingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Chili Crisp
Chinese Broccoli
Steamed Fish
Ingredients
Chili Crisp
Chinese Broccoli
Steamed Fish
Ingredients
Chili Crisp
Chinese Broccoli
Steamed Fish
Why This Recipe Works
This complete meal was the winning recipe from episode 1 of America's Test Kitchen: The Next Generation. Contestants were given 60 minutes to cook an iconic dish that told the judges something about themselves. Christina shared a family recipe typically served to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The anchor of the meal was steamed fish flavored with scallions, ginger, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce. Salt pork added depth to the Chinese broccoli side dish. Homemade chili crisp is incredibly simple and added crispy textures and complex spicy flavors to the fish, broccoli, and steamed white rice served with all of these bold dishes.
Before You Begin
Fill the wok, skillet, or sauté pan with just enough water so that it comes up slightly below the slats in the bottom tier of the bamboo steamer. The water should not touch the slats or the food may boil. Traditionally, this dish is prepared with a whole fish. If you would like, use two 1-pound fish, scaled and gutted, and put the ginger rounds, halved scallions, and wine inside the fish. You will need to curve the fish to fit inside the steamer basket and increase the steaming time in step 4 to 15 minutes. The Chinese broccoli can be prepared ahead and kept warm or cooked while the fish steams. The chili crisp can be prepared several days in advance. For a spicier dish, use larger amount of red pepper flakes. Serve with steamed sushi rice.
Instructions
- Combine pepper flakes, gochugaru, salt, and sugar in small heatproof bowl. Heat oil, shallots, and garlic in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until shallots and garlic are golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Use slotted spoon to transfer shallots and garlic to plate. Pour hot oil into bowl with pepper flake mixture. Stir in almonds, sesame seeds, and soy sauce and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Once oil mixture has cooled, stir in shallots and garlic. (Chili crisp can be refrigerated for several days.)
- Combine broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and pepper in small bowl. Heat oil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add salt pork and cook, turning often, until browned and crisp on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to paper towel–lined plate. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and broccoli to fat left in wok and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth mixture, increase heat to high, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Top with crispy pork and cover to keep warm.
- Cut four ⅛-inch-thick rounds from ginger. Cut remaining ginger into 2-inch-long matchsticks. Cut 6 scallions into 3-inch long matchsticks; halve remaining 2 scallions crosswise.
- Fill wok, 12-inch skillet, or 12-inch sauté pan with just enough water to reach bottom of bamboo steamer. Bring water to boil over high heat. Set 2 tiers of bamboo steamer on counter and place shallow dish slightly smaller than diameter of basket in each tier. Place 2 rounds of ginger and 1 halved scallion on each dish. Place 2 branzino fillets, skin-side up, on top of ginger and scallions on each dish. Pour wine evenly over each fillet. Assemble bamboo steamer, setting top of bamboo steamer in place. Carefully place steamer over boiling water. Steam until branzino registers 140 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. While branzino cooks, stir soy sauce and sugar in small bowl until sugar has dissolved. Spread pea sprouts on platter.
- Once branzino is cooked, transfer each fillet, along with the cooked ginger and scallion to platter and arrange over pea sprouts. Garnish each fillet with ginger matchsticks, scallion matchsticks, and cilantro leaves. Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Drizzle soy sauce mixture over branzino, followed by hot oil. Serve immediately with Chinese broccoli and chili crisp.
for the chili crisp
for the chinese broccoli
for the steamed fish
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