Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Shanghainese Smoked Fish

上海燻魚

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — finished dish

Total time: 205 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Thick fish slices are fried crisp and soaked hot in sweet soy infused with star anise and cassia.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

800 g grass carp centre cut
25 g ginger
30 g spring onion

Sweet soy soaking sauce

80 ml light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
80 g sugar
2 pieces star anise
1 piece cassia
200 ml water

Frying oil

1 L cooking oil

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — ingredients

02

Tools

cutting board
knife
large bowl
deep pot
kitchen tongs
cooling rack
clean shallow food container
refrigerator
food thermometer

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — tools

03

Steps

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Remove membrane and fine bones, then cut the carp into two-centimetre slices

Step 1

Remove membrane and fine bones, then cut the carp into two-centimetre slices

Remove membrane and fine bones, then cut the carp into two-centimetre slices.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Pat every slice dry; slice ginger and cut spring onion

Step 2

Pat every slice dry; slice ginger and cut spring onion

Pat every slice dry; slice ginger and cut spring onion.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Combine both soy sauces, sugar, spices, aromatics and 200 ml water

Step 3

Combine both soy sauces, sugar, spices, aromatics and 200 ml water

Combine both soy sauces, sugar, spices, aromatics and 200 ml water.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Boil the soaking sauce five minutes until dissolved and aromatic

Step 4

Boil the soaking sauce five minutes until dissolved and aromatic

Boil the soaking sauce five minutes until dissolved and aromatic.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Pour the sauce into a wide bowl and cool completely

Step 5

Pour the sauce into a wide bowl and cool completely

Pour the sauce into a wide bowl and cool completely.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Heat deep-frying oil to 175°C

Step 6

Heat deep-frying oil to 175°C

Heat deep-frying oil to 175°C.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Lower fish in batches and leave untouched until the crust sets

Step 7

Lower fish in batches and leave untouched until the crust sets

Lower fish in batches and leave untouched until the crust sets.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Fry each batch about four minutes until deep golden and crisp

Step 8

Fry each batch about four minutes until deep golden and crisp

Fry each batch about four minutes until deep golden and crisp.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Lift out when the thickest slices reach 63°C

Step 9

Lift out when the thickest slices reach 63°C

Lift out when the thickest slices reach 63°C.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Drain briefly and put the hot fish straight into the cold sauce

Step 10

Drain briefly and put the hot fish straight into the cold sauce

Drain briefly and put the hot fish straight into the cold sauce.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Soak fifteen minutes, turning gently once

Step 11

Soak fifteen minutes, turning gently once

Soak fifteen minutes, turning gently once.

Shanghainese Smoked Fish — Cool the fish in a clean shallow container, refrigerate to 4°C or below within two hours and serve the same day

Step 12

Cool the fish in a clean shallow container, refrigerate to 4°C or below within two hours and serve the same day

Cool the fish in a clean shallow container, refrigerate to 4°C or below within two hours and serve the same day.

Common mistakes

Thin slices break; do not turn before the crust sets.

Tips

Soak fish immediately after frying so it absorbs sauce.