Authentic Tai'an Fish

Method

1. 01

   Step 1

   Prepare all the ingredients.

   

2. 02

   Step 2

   Clean and cut the fish into small cubes about 3-4 centimeters in size. Marinate with salt for 10 minutes. Then, use only the egg whites and beat them with chopsticks for 5 minutes until they are full of bubbles. Add some water, and finally, prepare the sweet potato starch. Pay attention to the amounts of water and starch! Get it right!

   

3. 03

   Step 3

   Pour the fermented starch into the fish pieces and mix well.

   

4. 04

   Step 4

   Heat the pan, add vegetable oil (I used homemade freshly pressed rapeseed oil), and make sure to add plenty of oil after it's been rendered.

   

5. 05

   Step 5

   Once the oil is hot, add the fish pieces and simmer them in the hot pot.

   

6. 06

   Step 6

   After simmering the fish in the pot, set it aside for later use.

   

7. 07

   Step 7

   Now pour out the excess oil from the pot, leaving a suitable amount of oil in the pot. Start by stir-frying the seasonings. When the oil is hot, take a small handful of Sichuan peppercorns, pickled ginger, pickled chili peppers, and garlic and stir-fry them. Then add the fermented bean paste and stir-fry. Add the scallion segments and continue to stir-fry for about five minutes, until the whole house smells delicious.

   

8. 08

   Step 8

   Then pour in enough water (enough to submerge the fish) and bring it to a boil. Simmer the seasonings for about ten minutes to bring out their flavor. Add the blanched konjac and the fish pieces that have been simmered in the pot. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for about twenty minutes. Stir well.

   

9. 09

   Step 9

   Then add the celery and continue to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

   

10. 10

    Step 10

    By this time, the broth in the pot should have almost evaporated. Remove it from the heat, sprinkle with chopped green onions to enhance the visual appeal, and then it's ready to be plated and enjoyed!