serves
2
prep
10 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
2
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 1½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- 3–5 dried red chillies
- 2 tbsp chilli bean paste (douban jiang) (see Note)
- 1½ tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang) (see Note)
- 6 spring onions, cut into 3 cm lengths
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1 cm thick slices (leaves reserved)
- 120 g (1) carrot, cut into 2 mm thick slices
- 115 g (1 packet) fresh baby corn, halved
- 360 g white fish fillets such as ling, snapper or blue eye trevella
Instructions
Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan and until fragrant. Remove from the heat and coarsely crush.
Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan over medium high-heat. Add the garlic and dried chillies and cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the chilli bean paste and most of the spring onions (reserve some to serve) and cook for 1 minute. Add the vinegar, half the Sichuan peppercorns and 600 ml water and season to taste with salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add celery, carrot and baby corn. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes until the vegetables are almost cooked. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables and spoon a few tablespoons of the broth over the top. Give the pan a shake, cover and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the fish is just cooked through (the fish doesn’t have to be submerged in the broth).
Using a slotted spatula lift the fish from the broth. Divide the vegetables between shallow bowls and place a piece of fish on top. Spoon the broth around the fish and top with sliced spring onions, celery leaves and the remaining Sichuan pepper.
Note
• Chilli bean paste and Chinese black vinegar are available from Asian food stores.
Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Rachel Lane. Creative concept by Lou Fay.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
