Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chillies

Ingredients

• 1 large bighead carp or salmon head, about 1kg, split in half through the crown
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 thumb ginger, half sliced and half finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, halved lengthways
• 150g duo jiao (Hunan fermented chopped chillies)
• 1 tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, for the topping
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 60ml neutral oil, for finishing
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced
• small handful coriander

Before you cook

• Ask the fishmonger to split the fish head through the crown so it opens flat like a book
• Rub the fish head all over with salt and one tablespoon of Shaoxing wine, then rest it for fifteen minutes
• Lay the sliced ginger and halved spring onions on a heatproof plate as a bed
• Chop the garlic and the remaining ginger finely
• Set up a steamer wide enough to hold the plate and bring the water to a hard boil

Steps

1. Heat three tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped garlic, chopped ginger and black beans and fry for thirty seconds until fragrant.
3. Stir in the chopped chillies, soy sauce, sugar and the remaining Shaoxing wine, and cook for two minutes.
4. Take the chilli mixture off the heat and let it cool slightly.
5. Pat the fish head dry and lay it cut side up on the bed of ginger and spring onion.
6. Spoon the chilli mixture evenly over the whole surface of the fish, pressing it into the crevices.
7. Set the plate into the steamer over rapidly boiling water and cover it.
8. Steam hard for twelve minutes, until the flesh at the thickest part flakes cleanly from the bone.
9. Lift the plate out carefully and pour off any watery liquid that has pooled at the edges.
10. Scatter the sliced spring onions and coriander over the top.
11. Heat the finishing oil in a small pan until it is just smoking.
12. Pour the smoking oil over the spring onions so they hiss, and bring the plate straight to the table.