Fish Braised with Tofu
Fish Braised with Tofu
John Young
This dish is suitable equally well for a special occasion or a family meal. It is quite delicious, served with boiled rice or/and a few more Chinese dishes. Serves 4
Ingredients
1 whole yellow Croaker (carp, mullet or bass can also be cooked this way)
2 cups cooking oil
2 inch piece of root ginger, peeled and shred into thin slithers
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into thin slithers
A large pinch of salt
2 tbsp. light Soya sauce
1 tbsp. dry sherry
100 gm bamboo shoots (tinned), sliced into 1 inch or 2.5 cm fingers
2 cups water
350 gm Tofu, cut into small squares
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 medium tomatoes, quartered
6 small spring or green onions, kept whole
Freshly ground black pepper to sprinkle
1 spring onion, chopped for garnish
A few drops of oyster sauce
Instructions
If buying from a fish monger, ask him to de-scale and clean the fish for you. Otherwise, scrape off the scales with a sharp knife. This should be done under water, in a sink full of cold water. This stops the scales from jumping all over your kitchen! Slit the under belly and remove guts etc. Leave the head on. Wash and drain.
Heat oil in a wok, until just smoking.
Deep fry fish whole. Keep spooning hot oil all over the fish using a ladle, instead of keeping to turn over the fish. Keep moving it a little back and forth, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. After about 2 minutes, turn the fish over gently, using a flat spatula to support the body and the ladle supporting the head. Fry the other side exactly the same way. The surface should look lightly browned and crisp. Remove from oil very carefully and keep aside.
Drain all oil out of the wok, except 1 tbsp. Heat this oil and lightly fry ginger & garlic, with a pinch of salt.
Put fish back in the pan gently. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. light Soya sauce and 1 tbsp. sherry on the fish.
Add bamboo shoots and water, bring to boil.
Add whole spring onions, tomatoes, tofu and sugar (sugar mellows the taste).
Cover and cook on full heat for 4-5 minutes. It should be bubbling briskly.
Adjust salt, adding more Soya if not salty enough.
Sprinkle black pepper on top. Turn heat off.
Lift out gently onto a platter. Use 2 flat spatulas to this, if necessary. Do not let the fish break.
Pour rest of the contents of the wok on top. Garnish with chopped green onion and a few drops of oyster sauce.
Serve with boiled rice.
