Shanghai Smoked Fish

Ingredients

• 1kg firm freshwater fish steaks such as grass carp, or sea bass fillets cut into 3cm thick pieces
• 4 tbsp Shaoxing wine, for the marinade
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 3 tsp grated ginger
• 700ml water
• 4 slices ginger
• 2 star anise
• 1 small piece cassia bark
• 5 bay leaves
• 90g brown rock sugar
• 120ml Shaoxing wine, for the sauce
• 5 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp Chinkiang black vinegar
• 4 spring onions
• 120ml orange juice
• 1 litre neutral oil, for frying

Before you cook

• Cut the fish into pieces about 3cm thick and pat them completely dry.
• Rub the fish with the Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper and grated ginger.
• Spread the pieces on a tray in a single layer and refrigerate them uncovered for at least four hours, or overnight, so the surface dries out.

Steps

1. Put the water, ginger slices, star anise, cassia and bay leaves in a saucepan and bring it to the boil.
2. Cover and simmer for fifteen minutes to draw the flavour out of the spices.
3. Fish out the star anise and cassia so they do not turn the sauce bitter.
4. Add the rock sugar, Shaoxing wine, both soy sauces, oyster sauce, black vinegar, spring onions and orange juice.
5. Simmer uncovered for twenty-five minutes, until the sauce has reduced to about 450ml and coats a spoon thinly.
6. Strain the sauce into a wide dish, discard the solids and leave it to cool completely.
7. Heat the frying oil in a deep wok to 185C.
8. Pat the fish dry once more and fry it in batches of three or four pieces for five minutes, until firm and golden.
9. Lift the pieces out and let the oil come back up to temperature.
10. Fry each batch a second time for two minutes, until the crust is dark and crisp.
11. Drop each piece straight from the oil into the cold sauce while it is still sizzling, turning it to coat.
12. Press the fish down so every piece is submerged, then leave the dish to cool.
13. Refrigerate the fish in its sauce overnight.
14. Serve the fish cold, glossy and dark, with a little of the thickened sauce spooned over.