Salt and Pepper Fish (椒盐鱼片)

Step 1

Slice fish against the grain into 1/2” (1 cm) thick slices by tilting your knife to 45 degrees, so the fish will have thin edges with the middle part thicker. Add the fish to a medium sized bowl, and the Shaoxing wine, salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands.

Step 2

Combine the ingredients for the spice mix in a small bowl and stir to mix well.

Step 3

When you’re ready to cook, add the oil and the cornstarch to the marinated fish. Mix again until evenly coated.

Step 4

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet until hot. Add the fish pieces without overlapping. Let cook without moving until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip to cook the other side until golden and the fish is just cooked through. Immediately transfer the fish to a plate.

Step 5

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, green onion, garlic, dried chili pepper, and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.

Step 6

Turn off the heat. Add back the cooked fish and sprinkle with the spice mix. Carefully stir everything together without breaking apart the fish pieces. Transfer everything to a plate. Serve hot as a main dish or over rice.