Fish fillet slices are poached and served in aromatic and spicy broth is a classic Sichuan dish that just whets your appetite especially if you enjoy spicy food. The recipe is simple enough to follow yet with the taste similar if not better than the restaurant version without loads of MSG.
Shui zhu yu is one of the dishes that we order often (or I should say every time) when we go to our favorite Sichuan restaurant here in town. It is so good and we just can’t stop eating this dish. The only drawback is, we often feel extremely thirsty after consuming this meal. The MSG!! This is one of the reasons we try not to eat out as much anymore these days and this is my attempt to recreate this shui zhu yu at home and I’m happy to say that it comes close, very close! We are quite happy with it! No MSG is added and the oil that we use at home at least is a good-quality oil too 🙂 So, there you go…more reason to eat at home 😉
What is shui zhu yu?
Shui zhu yu literally means water-boiled fish. It is a variation of Chongqing hotpot fish. The fish slices are marinated and then gently poached in a spicy and aromatic broth. The soup is numbing thanks to the Sichuan peppercorns, spicy, savory, and umami all in one. The final dish has this fiery red presentation. If you enjoy spicy food, you will totally dig this one. The tender melt-in-the-mouth texture of the fish with the spicy yet aromatic broth makes us eat bowls and bowls of rice to go with it 🙂
Shui Zhu is a cooking method
Shui Zhu (water boiled) is a cooking method employed in Sichuan cuisine. Basically, you can shui zhu pretty much anything. There are shui zhu niu rou (water-boiled beef), shui zhu ji rou (water-boiled chicken), shu zhu dou fu (water-boiled tofu). You get the idea? The main ingredient, whatever you are using, is poached in the aromatic soup.
How to make Sichuan Shu Zhu Yu at home
In these step-by-step photo instructions, I’m showing you the rough outline. Please refer to the recipe card for all the little details.
1. Cut the fish fillet into about 2-inch slices. Try to keep the size the same as much as possible so they cook at the same time. Coat the fish with the marinade ingredients and toss to combine. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes while you prepare other things
2. Put the peppercorns and dried chili on a dry pan and toast them over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until they are aromatic. This extra step really brings out their flavor. Blend this in a food processor and set aside
3. Preheat a large wok or pan. Add 1 Tbsp of oil. Stir fry the celery for about 1 minute then add lettuce and beansprouts and saute for another 2 minutes, add a small pinch of salt and sugar and stir to combine. Remove from the wok/pan and put at the bottom of the serving bowl
4. Add 2 Tbsp of oil to the same wok/pan you have been using. Increase heat to medium-high. Add dou ban jiang and stir fry for about 1 minute.
5. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for another 1 minute.
6. Then add 1/2 of the Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili mixture you prepared earlier, saute another minute.
7. Add the hot water and star anise and cook for another 5 minutes
8. After that lower the heat to low. Add the marinated fish slices. Don’t let the soup comes to a rolling boil. The starch that coats the fish fillet will get “wash off” and the fish won’t be as tender and smooth anymore.
9. Let the soup comes back to a gentle simmer again, add salt, sugar, and pepper and then gently stir a little bit
10. Remove the fish slices from the soup and put on top of the bed of veggies in the serving bowl
11. Mix cornstarch with water. Pour the cornstarch solution to the soup and continue stirring until the soup thickens slightly
12. Pour the soup over the fish slices. Garnish with the remainder Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili mixture you prepared earlier. Add the raw minced garlic on top
13. Preheat 1/4 cup of cooking oil over medium-high heat until you start seeing smoke rising. Turn off the heat
14. Pour this oil on top of the Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili mixture and garlic. They will sizzle and release an amazing aroma
15. Garnish with chopped green onion and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately as main course with some rice and other sides
Tips
1. Choose good-quality fresh fish fillet. I’ve tried several different kind and I actually like sole fish fillet the best. But like in this photo, I used tilapia, which turned out just fine too
2. Make sure to marinate the fish for at least 20 minutes. The marinate in the fish helps to make them smooth and tender
3. I recommend following the steps of cooking very closely. It helps to create layers of flavor in the final dish
4. The pouring of hot oil on top of everything really kick things up a notch. It seals the deal for me right there! So please, do not skip this step
Did you make this shui zhu yu recipe?
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Sichuan Boiled Fish (Shui Zhu Yu)
Ingredients
Marinade for fish:
- 450 gr white fish fillet very thinly sliced. See notes 1
- 2 tsp Shao Xing wine
- 1 tsp corn starch
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 egg white beaten
- ¼ cup cooking oil to scald the peppercorns and dried chili
Soup base:
- 3 Tbsp oil divided
- 15 gr dried red chili
- 2 gr Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 Tbsp dou ban jiang
- 10 gr ginger peeled and and thinly sliced
- 600 ml hot water
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 20 gr garlic minced
To thicken the soup:
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp water
Vegetables:
- 150 gr celery cut into small pieces
- 200 gr lettuce cut into large chunks
- 100 gr mung bean sprouts
Garnishes:
- Finely chopped green onion
- Fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
Instructions
Marinate the fish:
- Cut the fish fillet into about 2-inch slices. Try to keep the size the same as much as possible so they cook at the same time. Coat the fish with the marinade ingredients and toss to combine. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes while you prepare other things
Toast the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chili:
- Put the peppercorns and dried chili on a dry pan and toast them over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until they are aromatic. This extra step really brings out their flavor. Blend this in a food processor and set aside
Prepare the soup base:
- Preheat a large wok or pan. Add 1 Tbsp of oil. Stir fry the celery for about 1 minute then add lettuce and beansprouts and saute for another 2 minutes, add a small pinch of salt and sugar and stir to combine. Remove from the wok/pan and put at the bottom of the serving bowl
- Add 2 Tbsp of oil to the same wok/pan you have been using. Increase heat to medium-high. Add dou ban jiang and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for another 1 minute. Then add 1/2 of the Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili mixture you prepared earlier, saute another minute. Add the hot water and star anise and cook for another 5 minutes
- After that lower the heat to low. Add the marinated fish slices. Don't let the soup comes to a rolling boil. The starch that coats the fish fillet will get "wash off" and the fish won't be as tender and smooth anymore. Let the soup comes back to a gentle simmer again, add salt, sugar, and pepper and then gently stir a little bit
- Remove the fish slices from the soup and put on top of the bed of veggies in the serving bowl
- Mix cornstarch with water. Pour the cornstarch solution to the soup and continue stirring until the soup thickens slightly
To serve:
- Pour the soup over the fish slices. Garnish with the remainder Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili mixture you prepared earlier. Add the raw minced garlic on top
- Preheat 1/4 cup of cooking oil over medium-high heat until you start seeing smoke rising. Turn off the heat
- Pour this oil on top of the Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili mixture and garlic. They will sizzle and release an amazing aroma
- Garnish with chopped green onion and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately as main course with some rice and other sides
Notes
- You can use any white fish fillet. I use tilapia. You can also use sole, cat fish, flounder, or other fish fillet of your choice
