In a more serious feud, escalation of hostilities can be signaled by the appearance of a goat head or horse head.įish heads are the subject of the 1978 novelty song "Fish Heads" by The rock duo Barnes & Barnes. The practice dates back to at least 1308, when Dante referenced it in his epic, the Divine Comedy. It is also performed by the eldest grandma when a mafia fishing family has been wronged by a business partner. In Sicilian witchcraft, it is customary to leave a fish head on the doorstep of one's enemy to ward off malicious intention. If the meat readily comes apart from the bone, it’s done.In some Jewish communities, it is traditional to eat a fish head for Rosh Hashana (literally "head of the year"). Tip: If you want to make sure the fish is done, carefully pick apart the thickest part of the fish. By now, the sauce should be cooked down and almost syrupy. Keep the heat at medium low, and cook the fish by continuously spooning the cooking liquid over the fish.Ĭook on each side for 4-5 minutes. Once both sides are nicely browned, add the ginger back to the wok…Īlso add the scallions, shaoxing wine, sugar, Chinese black vinegar, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce. This is when you can carefully flip the fish over and do the same process for the other side. You can tilt the wok around so the oil glides around to evenly brown the fish.Īfter 5 minutes, shake the wok slightly to see if the fish has seared enough to stop sticking to the wok. Carefully lay the fish in the wok, and DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER NOT TO MOVE OR TOUCH THE FISH for the next 5 minutes. Once the ginger slices start to brown, remove them from the wok and set aside. Heat the wok until it starts to smoke, and immediately add the oil and ginger slices. This step will help keep the skin in tact during pan-frying. Once the prep work is done, unwrap the fish and dust it with a thin, even layer of cornstarch on both sides. Use a sharp knife to score both sides of the fish three times. The goal is to make the fish as dry as absolutely possible. Wrap the fish in fresh paper towels while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Using paper towels, pat the fish thoroughly dry. Chinese Braised Fish: Recipe Instructions In fact, it’s exactly why this fish is so intensely good. One look at the recipe ingredient list might make you think there must be a mistake, but rest assured, it’s right. The first time I saw him cook this braised fish, I was in awe at the amount of wine, vinegar and soy sauce he poured into the wok. The way my father cooks it is quite unique he doesn’t add any water to braise the fish, which is almost unthinkable to many…me included. Bad, right!? Remember that one, especially if you have any guests or family working on the sea.Īs it happens, this Chinese braised fish is my father’s specialty-a dish that he does better than anyone I know. Another tip: never flip a fish over on the plate! Fish can symbolize a boat, and flipping that fish over is like capsizing your boat. That’s why, on the eve of Chinese New Year, we’re posting this Chinese Braised Fish (red cooked fish), or hong shao yu recipe for all of you! You have a multitude of fish dishes to choose from including our Cantonese whole steamed fish but this red cooked braised dish is certainly a winner.Īs I mentioned in our Chinese New Year Menu post, this tradition is a symbol of abundance. A Chinese New Year is not a New Year without fish, and you MUST have two of them: one for New Year’s Eve and one for Chinese New Year’s Day.
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