Ingredients
3 live crucian carp (about 150 g or 5 oz each), 300 g (about 10 oz) tofu, 50 g (about 1.75 oz) celery heart, 200 g (about 3/4 cup) fresh broth.
Seasonings
250 g (about 1/2 lb) vegetable oil, 20 g Sichuan Pixian broad bean paste, 15 g cornstarch, 10 g each scallion, ginger, garlic, and fermented rice wine juice, 5 g each chili oil and salt, 0.5 g MSG.
Instructions
1. Clean the live crucian carp by removing scales, gills, and innards, then make 3 shallow cuts on each side of the fish and rub with salt to marinate. Cut the tofu into 4.5 cm (about 1.8-inch) squares, 1 cm (about 0.4-inch) thick, blanch in boiling water, then drain and keep warm in a small saucepan with fresh broth and a pinch of salt over low heat. Finely chop the celery heart, mince the Pixian broad bean paste, and finely chop the scallions, ginger, and garlic. Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat, pan-fry the crucian carp until both sides are light golden, then remove and set aside.
2. Leave about 75 g (1/3 cup) of oil in the wok, add the broad bean paste and stir-fry until it turns red and fragrant, then add some broth and simmer briefly, strain out the solids, return the fish to the wok along with MSG and fermented rice wine, stir to combine, add the pre-stir-fried tofu and braise together until the fish is cooked through, first transfer the fish to a serving plate, then thicken the sauce in the wok with a cornstarch slurry, add scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili oil, pour the sauce over the fish, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. This dish features a bright red color, tofu that is tender yet holds its shape, and a rich, savory, aromatic flavor with a hint of sweetness.