Ingredients
750 g yellow croaker (about 1.6 lbs), 20 g each of dried shiitake mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots, 15 g ham.
Seasonings
4 g MSG, 5 g salt, 10 g Sichuan peppercorns, 15 g Shaoxing wine, 15 g scallions, 50 g wet cornstarch slurry.
Instructions
1. Scale the yellow croaker, remove the gills and internal organs, wash clean, then chop off the head and tail. Fillet the body into two pieces, peel off the skin, and slice into 24 pieces measuring 5 cm long, 3.3 cm wide, and 0.33 cm thick; lay them flat on a plate. Chop the fish head from underneath, make one cut from the inside (without cutting through), and flatten it with a knife so it appears to be leaping. Arrange the fish head and tail at the front and back ends of the serving platter respectively.
2. Lightly season the fish fillets, head, and tail with salt, MSG, Shaoxing wine, and scallion-pepper water; mix the shredded shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and ham together, season with salt, MSG, and Shaoxing wine, then roll them into the fish fillets, leaving about 1/3 of the shreds exposed to form a "phoenix tail," arrange the "phoenix tails" neatly between the fish head and tail, facing toward the tail, then steam over high heat for 30 minutes until cooked through.
3. Add clear broth to a wok, then add salt, MSG, and Shaoxing wine; bring to a boil and skim off any foam, then add a cornstarch slurry to create a thin sauce and pour it over the "Phoenix-Tail Goldfish" on the plate, finishing with a drizzle of chicken fat. This dish features a novel presentation, meticulous preparation, a savory flavor, and a tender, soft texture.