Whole Fish with Black Bean Garlic Sauce

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Pictured: Bank Rockfish, also called “Bank Perch” by some fishers and vendors.

Image by Chris Rov Costa, San Diego Seafood: Then and Now

This recipe makes great use of whole fish of any species. Choose a fish on the smaller side so that it will fit in the pan and cook evenly.

Black bean garlic sauce is a paste made from salted and fermented black soybeans combined with garlic, available in jars at most Asian grocery stores. This flavoring is a traditional Chinese staple, and this preparation is a popular dish to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole fish (1/2lb - 1 lb weight) any species

• 3 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce (see image above for reference)

  2 tablespoons ginger, minced

  2 tablespoons garlic, minced

  1 bunch green onions, divided

  1 tablespoon soy sauce

  1 tablespoon white vinegar

  1 tablespoon cooking wine

  1 tablespoon sugar, granulated

  1 cup water

  ½ cup cornstarch

  ½ cup vegetable oil, for frying

  Salt, to taste

How to Prepare

A canary rockfish, scored, salted, and dusted in cornstarch.

The same canary rockfish, removed to drain, after a 2-3 minute fry in hot oil.

1. Remove gills & guts from the whole fish (some markets can do this for you, for a small fee). Scale and dry fish skin and belly cavity thoroughly. Score sides, salt lightly, and dust with cornstarch. Reserve leftover cornstarch to thicken black bean garlic sauce.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over a high flame. When it sizzles, add fish to fry until skin is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes each side. Remove fish from oil once skin is browned and crispy, and set aside to drain on paper towels.

3. Drain the frying oil from the pan and place over low heat. Add garlic and ginger to brown, stirring frequently.

4. Add black bean garlic sauce and sugar and continue stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, and wine and water, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.

5. Return fish to pan and baste thoroughly with sauce. Cover for 8 minutes. While fish is simmering, divide the green onions and cut half into 2-inch lengths. Chop the rest finely and set aside for garnish.

6. Carefully remove fish from sauce and plate (without breaking off tail or head - use a large flat spatula or two). Mix remaining cornstarch with water into a thin slurry.

7. Turn up heat on sauce. While stirring, add cornstarch slurry to thicken, a teaspoon at a time, until sauce appears thicker. Add 2-inch lengths of green onion for 1 minute, then remove pan from heat. 

8. Spoon sauce generously over fish and garnish with minced green onion. Serve with rice.