Sichuan Suancai Yu (酸菜鱼)

Suancai Yu originated in Chongqing in the 1980s as a way to use the region's abundant tangy pickled mustard greens (suancai) with fresh river fish. The dish found its way into every household and restaurant across Sichuan, prized for its bracing sour-spicy broth that coaxes a craveable appetite stimulation the Chinese call kai wei — "opening the stomach". Silky fish fillets are velveted in egg white and starch, then just barely poached in the bright, tongue-tingling broth.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 600g (1.3 lb) firm white fish fillets (grass carp, catfish, or tilapia), sliced 5mm thick on the bias
• 300g (10.5 oz) Sichuan pickled mustard greens (suancai), rinsed and roughly chopped
• 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or fish stock
• 3 tbsp (45ml) rapeseed oil
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 30g (1 oz) fresh ginger, sliced
• 3–4 dried red chillies (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp (15g) Sichuan doubanjiang (fermented chilli bean paste)
• 1 tsp (3g) ground Sichuan pepper
• 1 tsp (5ml) Chinkiang black vinegar

For the fish velvet marinade:

• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp (10g) cornflour
• ½ tsp (3g) salt
• ½ tsp (2ml) Shaoxing rice wine

To finish:

• 2 tbsp (30ml) chilli oil
• 1 tsp (3g) whole Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Small handful coriander leaves

Instructions

1. Toss the fish slices with the marinade ingredients (egg white, cornflour, salt, rice wine). Let rest 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, dried chillies, and doubanjiang. Stir-fry 2 minutes until the oil turns red and fragrant.
3. Add the rinsed suancai and stir-fry 3–4 minutes until the greens are lightly caramelised. Pour in the stock and bring to a vigorous boil. Simmer 10 minutes to develop the broth. Add Sichuan pepper and black vinegar.
4. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Slide the velveted fish slices in one by one. Poach 2–3 minutes until the fish just turns opaque — do not overcook.
5. Transfer the soup to a deep serving bowl. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil with the chilli oil and whole Sichuan peppercorns in a small pan until the peppercorns sizzle and smoke, about 1 minute. Pour sizzling oil over the soup.
6. Garnish with spring onions and coriander. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Cook's Notes: Velveting the fish is essential — it prevents overcooking and gives the silky texture that defines this dish. Rinse the suancai well but retain some sourness; the acid balance is key. The sizzling oil finish is not optional — it blooms the aromatics and Sichuan pepper at the last moment.