Suan Cai Yu (Sichuan Fish with Sour Vegetable, 酸菜鱼)

a bowl of Suan Cai Yu, Sichuan fish with sour vegetable

5 from 4 votes

Suan Cai Yu (Sichuan Fish with Sour Vegetable, 酸菜鱼)

Tender fish slices in a hot and tangy broth bursting with aroma, Suan Cai Yu is an iconic Sichuan dish that can be easily prepared at home.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Wei Guo

Ingredients

For the fish

1½ lb boneless catfish filets see note 1
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
2 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt

For the broth

7 oz pickled mustard greens aka Haam Choy, Suan Cai
2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
5 clove garlic minced and divided
3 stalk scallions finely chopped and divided
1 tablespoon Sichuan pickled chilies chopped, optional (see note 2)
2½ cup water or unsalted stock
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

For the toppings

5 dried chlies or to taste, chopped
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn
Toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Marinate the fish

Lay the fish filets on a chopping board. Slice it at a 45-degree angle into thin, large pieces.
Put them into a bowl. Add Shaoxing rice wine, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch. Use your hand to mix and rub gently. Then leave to marinate while preparing other ingredients.

Prepare the vegetables

Rinse the pickled mustard greens under running water, then soak them in water to reduce their saltiness. The time required differs depending on their original saltiness and your own preferences. Taste a piece, keeping in mind that it will taste milder once cooked in the broth.
Drain them and squeeze to remove any excess water. Then cut them into pieces (slice the thick stem part at an angle).

Make the broth

Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, scallions, and pickled chilies (keep ⅓ of the garlic and scallions for the last step). Sizzle them until fragrant.
Put in the pickled mustard greens. Stir fry for about a minute, then pour in water (or stock). Bring it to a full boil. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer over low heat for 3 minutes.

Cook the fish

Put the marinated fish slices, ideally one piece at a time, into the gently simmering broth. Avoid overlapping for even cooking. Leave the fish to simmer undisturbed until they no longer look translucent and become firm.

Sizzle the toppings

Transfer the dish to a large serving bowl. Top with the remaining garlic, scallions, dried chili, Sichuan pepper, and sesame seed.
Heat the oil in a dry, clean pan, then pour it over the toppings. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

1. I use basa filets (aka pangasius), a species of catfish, for this recipe. You may use other types of fish whose flesh doesn’t fall apart easily once cooked. Alternatively, you can slice a whole fish and include the head and bones in the broth, as the traditional version does.

2. You may substitute Sichuan pickled chilies (Pào Jiāo/泡椒) with pickled chili garlic sauce (Duò Jiāo/剁椒), or other types of pickled chilies, such as pickled jalapeños.

Nutrition