Qinghai in China's far west is
not famous in China for its cuisine, but the few things from there that I have
tried have been terrific, so this low profile is a puzzle to me. Its cuisine is
a great cross between so many influences—Han Chinese, Hui Muslim, Tibetans—that
you just know the food here has to be good.
One such
dish is this flavorful, gorgeous, and yet quite easy fish that is decorated
with a “flower” cut design so that the meat of the fish blooms in the hot oil
as it fries, crisping up into petals that, when done, make the fish look indeed
much like a pinecone. A tangy sauce is then poured over it and toasted pine
nuts complete the transformation from fish into a tasty work of art.
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| Flower cut |
Similar
preparations are found throughout northern China and down through the Yangtze
River area. The version called Squirrel Fish (sōngshŭ yú 松鼠魚) is a classic Hangzhou dish, for example,
and then there is Shandong’s Sweet-and-Sour Fish (tángcù yú 糖醋魚), plus any number of similar recipes that
coat fresh- or saltwater fish in a light batter, fry it until crisp, and then
drape it with a refined sauce.
Since fish goes so well with slightly sour notes
like lemon and vinegar, it is understandable that here in China its sauce will
sometimes contain sweet-and-sour notes. And because it tastes so good and looks
so nice, the sauce is often red from ketchup and buzzes with bits of aromatics,
like ginger, green onion, and garlic.
Some might
even have some pine nuts in the mix, but the recipe below is exceptionally
successful in this regard, for the fish is not only make to look a bit like a
pinecone but even has the nuts to carry the fantasy a bit further.
Pinecone fish
Sōngzĭ yú 松子魚
Qinghai
Serves 4 to 6
Serves 4 to 6
Fish
and batter:
2 pounds (more or less) fileted fish with the skin on (rock cod, amberjack, or carp are all good)
2 pounds (more or less) fileted fish with the skin on (rock cod, amberjack, or carp are all good)
½
teaspoon sea salt
Freshly
ground black pepper
¼
cup rice wine (Mijiu)
¾
cup cornstarch, divided
Vegetables:
1
pound bok choy or other greens
3
tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1
teaspoon sea salt
Sauce:
 |
| Lower the fish gently into oil |
¼
cup pine nuts
4
green onions, trimmed and finely chopped
¼
cup minced fresh ginger
1
teaspoon sea salt
¼
cup catsup
2
tablespoons light colored (apple or rice) vinegar
1
cup unseasoned chicken stock
2
tablespoons sugar
¼
cup cool filtered water
1. Rinse the fish and pat it dry with
a paper towel. Lay the filets on a cutting board with the skin-side down.
Working on one filet at a time, make parallel slices ¼-inch apart down the
length of the filet that cut through the flesh but not through the skin. Then
turn the filet 90 degrees and, starting with the thicker end, make deep
diagonal slices ¼-inch apart through the flesh all the way down the body but
again not through the skin. Repeat with the other filet. Mix together the salt,
pepper, rice wine, and half of the
cornstarch, and then gently massage this into all the crevasses on the cut side
of the fish; don’t be concerned if bits of fish fall off, as they can be fried
too and tossed on top of the filets with no one the wiser. Let the fish
marinate in this while you prepare everything else.
 |
| Fried up & crispy |
2. Rinse the vegetables well, shake
dry, and cut the bok choy lengthwise into quarters or the spinach or other
greens into 2-inch lengths, discarding any tough pieces. Heat a wok over high
heat, add the oil and salt, swirl these around, and then stir-fry the
vegetables until barely done. Use the vegetables to make a next on a serving
platter.
3. Heat the oil in your wok over
medium heat and add the pine nuts. Gently fry these until they have turned a
light brown, and then use a slotted spoon to remove them to a small bowl.
4. Coat the marinated fish with the
other half of the cornstarch: Working on one piece at a time, pick up each
piece of fish by the tail end and scatter the cornstarch into the crevasses so that
the cut pieces do not stick together. Gently lower the filet into the hot oil
and fry on the cut side first until it is lightly browned. Use two spatulas to
carefully turn it over, fry briefly on the other side, and then transfer the
filet to the vegetable-lined platter. Repeat with the other filet, reserving
any leftover cornstarch in the bowl for the sauce. If you have any broken bits
of fish left over, fry these too and then scatter them over the fried filets.
Drain the oil out of the wok, leaving only about 3 tablespoons.
