Sichuan Water-Boiled Fish水煮鱼

Remove the fish head and split it in half. Run the cleaver along both sides of the spine to remove the fillets. Chop the spine into 3–4 cm sections. Slice the fillets diagonally into thin pieces about 5 mm thick, angling the knife at 45° for maximum surface area.

Place the fish fillets in a bowl. Add the marinade packet (or 1 tsp salt + pinch of white pepper), 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 egg white, and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Mix gently with your hands until each slice is evenly coated and the mixture looks slightly sticky. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Blanch bean sprouts 30 seconds, wood ear 1 minute, tofu skin 1 minute, and baby bok choy 30 seconds. Drain each batch and transfer to a large deep serving bowl, arranging them in a single layer as the base.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in the wok over medium heat. Add minced garlic, ginger slices, and the sauce packet from the seasoning kit. Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until the oil turns deep red and fragrant. Pour in 600 ml water, bring to a rolling boil, then add the fish head and bones.

Add the fish head and bone sections to the boiling broth. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes until the broth is milky and flavourful. Remove the bones and head with a slotted spoon and discard or set aside.

Gently ladle the cooked fish fillets out of the broth and arrange them over the blanched vegetables in the serving bowl. Pour the broth over the fish until everything is just submerged. Scatter the dry topping packet (dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, minced garlic) evenly over the surface.

Heat 3–4 tbsp cooking oil in a small wok or ladle over high heat until visibly smoking (about 200°C). Carefully pour the smoking-hot oil directly over the scattered dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns on the surface. The oil will sizzle and crackle loudly. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.