Name: Chilli and tomato beer fish with fried garlic and shallot
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 50 ml vegetable oil; 500 gm skinless ocean trout fillet, pin-boned, cut into 2.5cm pieces; 15 gm piece ginger, cut into julienne; 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp Chinese roasted chilli paste (see note); 300 gm cherry tomatoes, halved; 180 ml lager, such as Tsingtao; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar; To serve: steamed Asian greens and steamed rice; 2 spring onions, thinly sliced; 120 gm (1½ cups) bean sprouts, trimmed; Fried garlic and shallots; For deep-frying: vegetable oil; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced on a mandolin; 6 red shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin

Chilli and tomato beer fish with fried garlic and shallot

Recipe for Chinese-style chilli and tomato beer fish with fried garlic and shallot.

Serves 4

Prep

25M

Cook

15M

Total

40M

This recipe is inspired by a traditional Chinese beer fish recipe. We’ve added fried garlic and shallots, and a good squeeze of lime for extra zing.

Ingredients

50 ml vegetable oil

500 gm skinless ocean trout fillet, pin-boned, cut into 2.5cm pieces

15 gm piece ginger, cut into julienne

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

1 tbsp Chinese roasted chilli paste (see note)

300 gm cherry tomatoes, halved

180 ml lager, such as Tsingtao

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar

To serve: steamed Asian greens and steamed rice

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

120 gm (1½ cups) bean sprouts, trimmed

Fried garlic and shallots

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced on a mandolin

6 red shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin

Method

Main

1.For fried shallots and garlic, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat to 180C. Add garlic in batches (don’t overcrowd the oil) and stir until golden and crisp (1-2 minutes; careful, hot oil may spit). Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and repeat with shallots. Set aside until required.

2.Heat half the oil in a large wok over high heat until very hot and stir-fry fish, turning occasionally, until golden (1-2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard oil, wipe wok clean and heat remaining oil over high heat until very hot. Add ginger, garlic and chilli, and stir-fry until fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute). Stir in chilli paste, then add tomatoes and stir-fry until starting to break down (2-3 minutes). Add beer, soy sauce and vinegar, bring to the simmer, season to taste, then return fish to pan and stir to heat through (1-2 minutes). Serve hot with steamed greens and rice, and scattered with spring onions, bean sprouts, and fried garlic and shallots.