In August, the new way to eat fish fillets, the flavor of pepper and sesame is lovely, warms the stomach and invigorates qi, and one person eats the classic Sichuan flavor

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In August, the new way to eat fish fillets, the flavor of pepper and sesame is lovely, warms the stomach and invigorates qi, and one person eats the classic Sichuan flavor

In the vast land of China, there is a dish that has made countless diners fall in love with its unique flavor and spicy taste. It is peppered sesame fish fillet, a traditional dish originating from Sichuan. Sichuan, a province known for its spicy cuisine, is known for its spicy, fragrant, and oily dishes. Pepper sesame fish fillet is the perfect embodiment of this regional characteristic.

The origins of pepper fish fillet can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty, when a Sichuan chef was said to have created this delicious dish by combining the fillet with spices such as Sichuan pepper and chili pepper to cater to the emperor's tastes. Since then, pepper sesame fish fillet has spread among the people and has become an indispensable part of Sichuan cuisine.

The flavor of this dish is characterized by its spicy and fragrant aroma, the tender fillet, and the numbness of Sichuan pepper and the spiciness of chili pepper are intertwined, making it unforgettable. And its geographical provenance makes this dish full of stories and cultural anecdotes. In Sichuan, every household has its own recipe for pepper sesame fish fillet, and the taste of each one is different, but all of them are equally evocative.

The main ingredient of pepper sesame fish fillet is fish, usually grass carp or black fish. Grass carp is found all over China and is popular for its delicious and nutritious meat. In different regions, grass carp has different names, such as "grass carp", "bream" and so on. There are various ways to eat grass carp, which can be steamed, braised and grilled, and pepper sesame fillet is one of the unique ways to eat.

In the ancient book "Compendium of Materia Medica", grass carp is recorded to have the effect of nourishing qi and warming the stomach. Modern research has also shown that grass carp is rich in protein, unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients, which are beneficial to human health.

Cooking preparation

To make a delicious pepper fish fillet, we need the following ingredients and seasonings:

• Main ingredients: 1 grass carp (about 1000 grams)
• Excipients: 100 grams of bean sprouts, 100 grams of enoki mushrooms
• Seasoning: 20 grams of Sichuan pepper, 30 grams of dried chili pepper, 20 grams of ginger, 1 green onion, 5 cloves of garlic, 50 ml of cooking wine, 30 ml of light soy sauce, 10 ml of dark soy sauce, 5 grams of salt, 5 grams of sugar, appropriate amount of white pepper, appropriate amount of starch
• Nutritional information: Grass carp is rich in high-quality protein and a variety of trace elements, which help to enhance the body's immunity.

Cooking in detail

1. Prepare the fillet: Remove the scales and guts of the grass carp, wash it, and slice the meat into thin slices along the bones to a thickness of about 3 mm.
2. Marinate the fillet: Place the fillet in a bowl, add cooking wine, salt, white pepper and starch, stir well and marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Prepare the ingredients: Wash the bean sprouts and enoki mushrooms, blanch and drain for later use.
4. Stir-fry pepper and sesame seasoning: Add an appropriate amount of oil to the pot, add Sichuan pepper and dried chili pepper after the oil is hot, stir-fry over low heat until fragrant, and then remove it for later use.
5. Stir-fry the fish fillet: Leave the bottom oil in the pan, add the ginger, green onion and minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the marinated fish fillet, and stir-fry quickly until the fish fillets change color.
6. Seasoning: Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and an appropriate amount of water, continue to stir-fry evenly, so that the fish fillets can fully absorb the flavor of the seasoning.
7. Add the excipients: Add the blanched bean sprouts and enoki mushrooms to the pot and stir-fry quickly to mix the excipients with the fish fillets.
8. Remove from the pot and serve: Finally, sprinkle the previously fried peppercorns and dried chili peppers, stir-fry evenly and then remove from the pan and serve.

Flavor differences

• Sichuan flavor: Sichuan's pepper sesame fish fillet is mainly spicy, and the amount of Sichuan pepper and chili pepper is larger, and the taste is more stimulating.
• Jiangnan flavor: The pepper sesame fish fillet in the Jiangnan area pays more attention to the freshness of the fish, the amount of chili pepper and Sichuan pepper is moderate, and the taste is relatively mild.
• Northeast flavor: Pepper fish fillets in the Northeast region are filled with more sauces, such as bean paste, to make the flavor more intense.

Cooking Principles & Problem Solving

The cooking principle of pepper sesame fish fillet is to fry it quickly at high temperature to maintain the tender texture of the fish fillet and at the same time allow the flavor of the seasoning to fully penetrate. During the cooking process, problems that may be encountered include fried fish fillets, uneven seasoning, etc. Solutions to these problems include controlling the heat and preparing all the spices in advance.

Cooking quiz

1. Q: What should I do if the fish fillet is fried? A: Control the heat and stir-fry over high heat to avoid the fillets staying in the pan for too long.
2. Q: What should I do if the seasoning is uneven? A: Before stir-frying, mix the seasoning well to ensure that each slice of fish can absorb the flavor of the seasoning evenly.
3. Q: What should I do if the fish fillet does not taste good? A: When marinating the fillets, add an appropriate amount of salt and white pepper to let the fillets taste in advance.
4. Q: What should I do if the pepper flavor is not enough? A: Increase the amount of Sichuan pepper and dried chili peppers, or add some Sichuan pepper oil during the frying process.
5. Q: What should I do if the fish fillet sticks? A: Before stir-frying, make sure the water on the fillets has been drained, or add a small amount of oil while stir-frying.

Cooking tips

1. Choose fresh grass carp for a more tender meat.
2. When marinating the fillet, add the right amount of starch to make the fillet more tender.
3. When stir-frying the pepper and sesame seasoning, use low heat to stir-fry slowly to avoid stir-frying.
4. When stir-frying the fillets, stir-fry them quickly over high heat to maintain the tenderness of the fillets.
5. Before cooking, you can add some coriander or chopped green onions to increase the aroma of the dish.

Four Seasons Recipes

Spring recipe: Steamed grass carp

• Once the water in the steamer is boiling, put the fish in the steamer and steam over high heat for 8-10 minutes.
• Place the fish in a steaming dish and sprinkle with salt and ginger slices.
• Prepare a grass carp, clean it, and cut it in the middle.

Summer recipe: sauerkraut fish

• Add water and seasonings and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Sauerkraut shredded and sautéed with fish fillets.
• Prepare a grass carp and slice it thinly.

Autumn recipe: braised grass carp

• Add the braised sauce and water to taste, simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add an appropriate amount of oil to the pan and fry the fish pieces until golden brown on both sides.
• After the grass carp is cleaned, cut into cubes.

Winter recipe: Spicy grass carp

• Add an appropriate amount of water, simmer for 10 minutes, and finally sprinkle with chopped green onions.
• Add an appropriate amount of oil to the pan, add the fish fillets and spicy seasoning and stir-fry.
• After the grass carp is cleaned, cut into slices.

Although pepper sesame fish fillets are delicious, it is also important to eat them in moderation to avoid adverse health effects due to excessive intake of chili peppers and oils. When cooking, you can reduce the amount of oil and pepper to maintain the flavor of the dish while taking care of health.

The key to cooking pepper fish fillet is to master the combination of heat and seasoning. By trying and tweaking it many times, you can find the one that suits your taste best. At the same time, you can also experiment with different ingredient combinations to create your own unique flavor.

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