Ingredients
2 crucian carp (about 500 g / 1 lb total), 3 slices cooked ham, 15 g pea shoots, 15 g bamboo shoots, 500 g (about 2 cups) white stock.
Seasonings
50 g lard, 3 g salt, 2 g MSG, 15 g cooking wine, 2 scallion sections, 2 slices ginger.
Instructions
1. Scale the crucian carp, remove the gills and internal organs, rinse clean, then use a knife to cut herringbone patterns on both sides of the fish's back at 1 cm intervals.
2. Place a wok over high heat and add 25 g (about 2 tablespoons) of lard. When it reaches 70% hot, add scallions and ginger, frying until fragrant. Gently pan-fry both sides of the fish, then splash in cooking wine and let it simmer briefly. Add white broth, 150 g (about 2/3 cup) of water, and another 25 g of lard. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes until the broth turns rich and white. Reduce to medium heat and cook for another 3 minutes, until the fish's eyes protrude. Add sliced bamboo shoots and ham, along with salt and MSG to taste. Turn the heat back to high and cook until the soup is thick and milky white. Add pea shoots and cook briefly, then discard the scallions and ginger. Transfer to a serving bowl, arranging the bamboo shoots and ham neatly on top of the fish and placing the pea shoots on both sides. This fish soup is deliciously fresh, with tender, flavorful meat, and is rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, niacin, vitamin C, and other nutrients.