Pan Fried Belt Fish (香煎带鱼)
Quick to prepare and delightful to eat, pan-fried belt fish is a well cherished dish in Chinese households.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb belt fish aka ribbonfish, gutted
- 2 stalk scallions julienned
- 1 thumb-sized ginger julienned
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
Instructions
Prepare
- Gently rub the surface of the fish with the rough side of a clean sponge or the blade of a dull knife to remove the silver layer. Rinse the fish under running water then pat it dry with kitchen paper.
- Cut the fish into manageable sections. Then score both sides of each piece with crosswise lines to enhance flavor penetration.
Marinate
- In a bowl or tray, mix the fish with scallions, ginger, Shaoxing rice wine, salt, and white pepper. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Discard the aromatics and any liquid appeared during marination. Evenly coat the fish with cornstarch.
Pan-Fry
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Place in the fish pieces. Leave to fry undisturbed over medium heat.
- Once the bottom side becomes golden, flip each piece over to brown the other side.
- Serve warm with steamed rice, accompanied by other savory dishes. Or, enjoy it at room temperature as a snack.
