Chopped Chili Fish Head

剁椒鱼头

Chopped Chili Fish Head — HunanChangsha home cooking.

Ingredients

• silver carp fish head (whole, scaled, gills removed)
• homemade Hunan chopped chili (duōjiāo)
• ginger
• light soy sauce
• Shaoxing wine

Instructions

1. Rinse fish head under cold water; pat dry. Score both sides of the head deeply with a knife (3–4 diagonal cuts per side) to allow steam and seasoning penetration. (Clean, glistening surface with visible knife marks)
2. Place fish head on a heatproof plate large enough to hold it flat. Tuck thin slices of ginger into all cuts and under the gills. (Ginger peeking from cuts, head lying flat without pooling liquid)
3. Evenly spread chopped chili over entire fish head, mounding slightly over the thickest part (the crown). Drizzle with light soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. (Vibrant red chili layer covering white flesh completely)
4. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 22–25 minutes, until fish flesh flakes easily with a fork and turns opaque white throughout. (Steam rising steadily; flesh pearly white and slightly separating at edges)
5. Carefully remove plate from steamer. Discard excess liquid pooled at bottom. Garnish with finely sliced scallion greens. (Clear, pale pink broth in bottom of plate, now discarded)