Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Braised Fish Belly with Bean Curd Sticks
枝竹炆魚腩
Recipe overview
A traditional Hong Kong braise: fish belly is seared until firm, then gently braised with softened bean curd sticks, ginger and garlic. It needs basic pan-frying and careful handling.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 600 g grass carp belly, 5 cm pieces
- 120 g dried bean curd sticks
- 25 g ginger
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 spring onions
- 3 tbsp oil
- 350 ml hot water
Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt Fish marinade:
- 1/8 tsp white pepper Fish marinade:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch Fish marinade:
- 1 tbsp soy sauce Braising sauce:
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce Braising sauce:
- 1 tsp dark soy Braising sauce:
- 1 tsp sugar Braising sauce:
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine Braising sauce:
- 1 tsp cornstarch Slurry:
- 1 tbsp water Slurry:
02
Tools
- cutting board
- knife
- large and small bowls
- measuring spoons and cup
- colander
- paper towels
- frying pan
- frying pan
- spatula
- covered wok or shallow braising pot
- covered wok or shallow braising pot
- spatula
03
Steps
Step 1
Step 1
Soak dried bean curd sticks 25–30 minutes in room-temperature water until soft but intact; rinse and drain.
Step 2
Cut sticks 6–8 cm
Cut sticks 6–8 cm; slice ginger, crush garlic and cut spring onions.
Step 3
Step 3
Remove scales and blood from fish belly, rinse quickly and pat completely dry.
Step 4
Step 4
Season fish with salt and pepper 10 minutes; dust lightly with cornstarch before frying.
Step 5
Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat
Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat; place fish skin-side down without overlap.
Step 6
Step 6
Fry 3 minutes until golden and released, turn and fry 2 minutes; remove while only set.
Step 7
Step 7
Add remaining oil and fry ginger and garlic 1 minute over medium-low heat.
Step 8
Step 8
Add bean curd sticks and toss 1 minute.
Step 9
Step 9
Add soy sauces and sugar for 20 seconds; add wine around pan edge.
Step 10
Add 350 ml hot water
Add 350 ml hot water, boil, then return fish in one layer.
Step 11
Cover and braise on low 12 minutes
Cover and braise on low 12 minutes; fish must be completely opaque and the thickest part fully cooked and easy to separate with chopsticks.
Step 12
Add spring onion 1 minute
Add spring onion 1 minute; slowly add slurry until sauce lightly coats bean curd sticks, then serve.
Common mistakes
- Unsoaked sticks stay hard.
- Wet fish splatters and will not brown.
- Turning before set breaks fish.
- Frequent stirring breaks fish.
- Too much water weakens sauce.
- Too much slurry clumps.
Tips
Soak fully but do not use boiling water too long. Pat fish dry and wait before turning. Shake pan gently instead of stirring fish. Check thickest piece is fully cooked. Keep some sauce for bean curd sticks.
