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Sichuan · Chinese

Sichuan boiled fish

Non-vegetarian

水煮魚 · shuǐ zhǔ yú

Tender slices of white fish poached in a fiery chilli-bean broth over bean sprouts, then covered with dried chillies and Sichuan pepper and doused in sizzling oil.

Sichuan boiled fish is a Sichuan main course from China, ready in about 35 minutes and made with white fish fillet, chilli bean paste (doubanjiang) and dried whole chillies. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
15 min
Total
35 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
346

Ingredients

4 servings

Marinade

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Toss the fish with the egg white (opens in a new tab), cornstarch (opens in a new tab), salt and wine and set aside. Blanch the bean sprouts (opens in a new tab) for 1 minute and put them in a deep serving bowl.

    • 6 min

    Food safety: Keep raw fish chilled until cooking.

  2. Step 2

    Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok (opens in a new tab) and gently fry the chilli bean paste (opens in a new tab) until the oil is red. Add the garlic (opens in a new tab) and ginger and fry for 30 seconds.

    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Pour in the stock and soy sauce (opens in a new tab), bring to a boil, then slip in the fish slices one by one. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until just opaque.

    • 4 min
    • medium heat

    Food safety: Fish is cooked when it is opaque and flakes easily.

  4. Step 4

    Pour the fish and broth over the bean sprouts (opens in a new tab). Pile the dried chillies and Sichuan pepper on top.

    • 1 min

  5. Step 5

    Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil until just smoking and pour it over the spices so they sizzle. Scatter with coriander and serve.

    Food safety: Pour hot oil slowly and keep your face back from the bowl.

    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Sichuan / Chongqing, China · Commonly attributedMore food from China
Dish
Dinner · Main courses
Cooking method
Poached, Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), peppery, savoury
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: PescatarianWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration
Cook more with
White fish fillet · Chilli bean paste (doubanjiang) · Dried whole chillies · Egg white · Cornstarch · Shaoxing wine
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Poaching · Blanching

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg white
  • Contains: Fishfrom white fish fillet
  • Contains: Wheatfrom shaoxing wine, chilli bean paste (doubanjiang), soy sauce
  • Contains: Glutenfrom shaoxing wine, chilli bean paste (doubanjiang), soy sauce
  • Contains: Soyfrom chilli bean paste (doubanjiang), soy sauce
  • May contain: Celeryfrom chicken stock

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

346 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 390 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 34%
  • Carbohydrate 21%
  • Fat 45%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy346 kcal89 kcal
Protein29.3 g7.5 g
Carbohydrate18.5 g4.7 g
Net carbohydrate15.4 g3.9 g
Sugars5.7 g1.5 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre3.1 g0.8 g
Fat17.2 g4.4 g
Saturated fat1.8 g0.5 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol72 mg18 mg
Sodium1202 mg308 mg
Salt equivalent3 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
824 mg
Calcium
44 mg
Iron
2.1 mg
Magnesium
61 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
85 µg
Vitamin C
10 mg
Vitamin D
0.6 µg
Vitamin B12
2.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
68 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): sichuan peppercorns.
  • Shaoxing wine: Sake (FDC 167723) used as a stand-in for Chinese rice cooking wine.
  • Chilli bean paste (doubanjiang): Miso (FDC 172442) as a stand-in: both are salted fermented soybean pastes; doubanjiang adds chilli and broad beans.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Diners lift the fish out of the oil and broth rather than drinking it all.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling the fish hard so the delicate slices break apart.

Serve with

  • Serve with plenty of rice and a cooling cucumber salad.

Storage

  • Best eaten fresh.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 1

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