Ingredients
1 tail female Chinese longsnout catfish, 100 g (about 3.5 oz) cooked rice flour.
Seasonings
Shaoxing wine, white vinegar, scallion, and ginger, 5 g each; five-spice powder, 10 g; soy sauce and sweet bean paste, 15 g each; Pixian broad bean paste, 25 g; salt, MSG, ground pepper, and Sichuan pepper powder, 1 g each; sesame oil and chili oil, 30 g each; sugar, 1.5 g; and lard, 40 g.
Instructions
1. Select a section of green bamboo tube about 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter and 25 cm (10 inches) long, with nodes at both ends. Saw two horizontal cuts about 4 cm (1.5 inches) from each end, then split open a 10 cm (4 inch) wide opening along the tube; the removed bamboo piece will serve as the lid.
2. Slit the belly of the fish open, remove the entrails, rinse clean, and drain. Cut into rectangular pieces about 5 cm long, 3 cm wide, and 2 cm thick. Rinse again with water, drain, and place in a large bowl. Add soy sauce, broad bean paste, ground pepper, five-spice powder, sweet bean sauce, Sichuan pepper powder, salt, sugar, white vinegar, Shaoxing wine, MSG, sesame oil, chili oil, scallions, and minced ginger. Mix well. Then add rice flour and lard, stirring to combine. Marinate for 5 minutes. Place the marinated fish into a bamboo tube, cover it, and steam for 20 minutes. Remove, set on a serving tray with the bamboo tube, and uncover at the table. This dish is uniquely presented and leaves a lingering, memorable flavor.