Sichuan Boiled Fish (Shui Zhu Yu)

• 500 g White fish fillet, skinless
• 300 g Napa cabbage
• 200 g Bean sprouts
• 25 g Ginger root, peeled
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 4 Spring onion
• 12 pieces Dried red chili
• 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 90 ml Vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp Doubanjiang
• 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 900 ml Chicken stock
• 2 tbsp Cornflour
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt

1. Slice the fish into bite-sized pieces and pat dry. Toss with the cornflour and 0.5 tsp of the fine sea salt until lightly coated. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables and aromatics.
2. Cut the napa cabbage into chunky pieces and rinse the bean sprouts. Thinly slice the ginger, slice 3 garlic cloves, and finely slice 2 spring onions. Roughly chop the remaining spring onions and garlic, keeping them separate for the hot-oil finish.
3. Bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer in a large pot or wok. Add the napa cabbage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until just starting to soften, then add the bean sprouts for 1 minute. Lift the vegetables out with a slotted spoon and arrange them in the bottom of a deep serving bowl.
4. Keep the stock at a steady simmer and stir in the doubanjiang, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sliced ginger, sliced garlic, and the finely sliced spring onions. Simmer for 5 minutes so the broth turns a deep red and smells fragrant. Taste and add the remaining 0.5 tsp fine sea salt if needed.
5. Lower the heat so the broth is barely simmering, then slide in the fish pieces one by one. Poach for 2 to 4 minutes, turning gently once, until the fish is opaque and just cooked through. Spoon the fish and broth over the vegetables in the bowl.
6. Scatter the dried red chili, Sichuan peppercorns, and the reserved chopped garlic and spring onions over the top. Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil over the aromatics to bloom them, then serve straight away.

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