Pan-Fried Bighead Carp

Ingredients

• 2 jin (≈1 kg) bighead carp
• 20 g ginger, minced
• 0.5 root (50 g) spring onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• to taste fresh coriander
• 2 ml dark soy sauce
• 10 g white sugar
• 4–6 dried chillies
• 100 ml rice wine
• 4 ml light soy sauce
• 50 g salt
• 100 ml cooking oil
• bean paste
• green pepper
• chicken stock powder
• five-spice powder
• rice vinegar
• hot water

Method

Butterfly-fillet the carp along the backbone — ask the fishmonger to do this — rather than belly-splitting, which leaves the two halves joined at the flesh instead of the skin. Rinse, then pat completely dry. This fish needs salt-curing and partial drying to concentrate flavour and drive off surface moisture before pan-frying; the skin must be crisp, and moisture is the enemy. Rub salt evenly across both sides (about 50 g total, or to taste), then submerge in rice wine with minced ginger. Refrigerate for 1–2 days. The salt salt-brining|denatures the muscle proteins and draws out liquid that dissolves back in, seasoning the flesh throughout. Hang the cured fish skin-side up in a dry, warm spot — ideally sunlit — for 1–2 days until the surface feels tacky and slightly leathery, not entirely stiff. You're aiming for partial desiccation; complete drying hardens the edges.

Before cooking, rinse off excess salt and pat the fish bone-dry. Heat a large shallow pan over high heat until it smokes faintly, then reduce to low—this prevents sticking. Coat the surface with oil and lay the fish skin-side down without moving it for 30 seconds; this allows the maillard-reaction|Maillard reaction to grip the proteins without tearing. Gently tilt the pan after half a minute to check if it releases cleanly. Fry the skin side until golden and crisp (1–1.5 minutes), then flip and fry the flesh side for 1–2 minutes until pale gold. Push the fish to the pan's edge and bloom bean paste in the centre with minced ginger and garlic, stirring until fragrant (20–30 seconds). This fermented paste layers umami onto the dish.

Deglaze with rice wine, scraping the pan bottom, then add both soys, enough stock powder-enriched hot water to reach just below the fish, a pinch of five-spice, and a tablespoon of sugar. Raise heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes uncovered, letting the braising|braising liquid reduce and glaze the skin. The acid in rice vinegar (added now, about 1 teaspoon) brightens the heavy umami without souring it. Add sliced green pepper 2 minutes before finishing. Lower heat, scatter spring onion and fresh coriander over the fish, and serve immediately with the pan sauce spooned over. The skin should be glossy and firm; the flesh tender and flavoured throughout by the brine.