Clay Pot Fish and Tofu

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Cover the 7–8 dried shiitake mushrooms with all 2 cups hot soaking water. Soak for about 2 hours, until completely rehydrated. After soaking, squeeze them over the bowl, remove tough stems and halve the mushrooms. Carefully reserve 1 cup clear soaking liquid, leaving any sediment behind. Keep the prepared mushrooms separate from this reserved liquid; discard the remaining liquid and sediment.

   Check the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms · 120 minUses 7–8 medium dried shiitake mushrooms · 2 cups hot water for soaking the shiitake mushrooms

2. 2

   Step 2: While the mushrooms soak, pat the cut fish dry with paper towel. Mix all the fish with the 2 tbsp coating cornstarch, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp marinade Shaoxing wine, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp marinade sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes; it may remain refrigerated overnight.

   Complete the initial refrigerated fish marinade · 30 minUses 1 lb skin-on flaky white fish fillets, cut into 2½-inch pieces · 2 tablespoons cornstarch · 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour · 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine · ½ teaspoon salt · ¼ teaspoon sesame oil

3. 3

   Step 3: After the mushrooms are ready, mix their reserved 1 cup clear soaking liquid with all the sauce Shaoxing wine (1 tablespoon), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), chee hou sauce (1 tablespoon), light soy sauce (2 teaspoons), sauce sesame oil (½ teaspoon) and white pepper. Keep this sauce separate from the raw-fish marinade.

   Uses Exactly 1 cup clear reserved soaking liquid from step 1, excluding mushrooms and discarded liquid · 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine · 1 tablespoon oyster sauce · 1 tablespoon chee hou sauce · 2 teaspoons light soy sauce · ½ teaspoon sesame oil · ⅛ teaspoon white pepper powder

4. 4

   Step 4: Before heating the wok, wash, drain and cut the vegetables as listed. Keep the scallion (2) whites and greens separate. Have the ginger (3), garlic (3 cloves), carrot (¼ cup) and halved mushrooms ready. Drain and cut the firm tofu (8 oz) and tear the lettuce. Mix the 1 tbsp finishing cornstarch with its separate 1 tbsp water; keep this slurry beside the stove.

   Uses 3 fresh ginger slices, ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick · 2 scallions, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces, white and green parts separated · 3 cloves garlic (sliced) · ¼ cup sliced carrot · 8 oz firm tofu, cut into ½-inch-thick bite-size pieces · 1 tbsp cornstarch for the finishing slurry · ¼ head iceberg lettuce, washed and torn into large pieces · 1 tbsp water for the cornstarch slurry

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the wok over high heat until hot and just beginning to smoke, then add all 3 tbsp neutral oil and coat its sides. Stir the fish to redistribute its coating. Lift the coated pieces into the wok in a single layer, leaving excess raw-fish marinade in the bowl; discard that excess.

   Uses 3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, avocado, or peanut oil) · All fish pieces and their adhering coating from step 2; leave excess marinade behind

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Reduce to medium-high heat and fry the first face undisturbed for 1 minute.

   Fry the first fish face · 1 minUses All fish and frying oil loaded in step 5

7. 7

   Step 7: Carefully turn every fish piece and fry the second face for another 1 minute. Turn off the heat and lift the seared pieces to a clean plate, leaving the frying oil and pan juices in the wok. Keep the fish nearby for immediate final cooking.

   Fry the second fish face · 1 minUses All fish and oil from step 6 before separating the fish and retained wok oil

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Return the wok with its retained frying oil and pan juices to medium heat. Add all three prepared ginger slices and fry for 15 seconds.

   Fry the ginger · 1 minUses Oil and pan juices left in the wok after the fish is lifted in step 7 · All three ginger slices prepared in step 4

9. 9

   Step 9: Add all the prepared white scallion pieces and fry with the ginger for another 30 seconds.

   Fry the scallion whites · 1 minUses All ginger, oil and juices from step 8 · All white pieces from the two scallions prepared in step 4

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Add all the prepared garlic, ¼ cup sliced carrot and squeezed, halved shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds.

    Fry the garlic, carrot and mushrooms · 1 minUses All wok contents from step 9 · All three sliced garlic cloves from step 4 · All ¼ cup carrot from step 4 · All retained squeezed and halved mushrooms from step 1, excluding stems and liquid

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Add all the prepared sauce and tofu to the wok. Stir gently to avoid breaking the tofu, bring to a simmer, then simmer for 2 minutes.

    Simmer the tofu and sauce · 2 minUses All wok contents from step 10 · All measured sauce from step 3 · All 8 oz drained and cut tofu from step 4

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Return all the seared fish and its collected plate juices to the simmering sauce. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, checking from 2 minutes, and continue as needed until the fish is fully opaque, separates readily and reaches 63°C/145°F in the thickest pieces. Meanwhile, prepare the serving pot in step 13.

    Check the fish in the sauce · 2 minUses All wok contents from step 11 · All fish lifted in step 7, excluding the separately used wok oil

13. 13

    Step 13: While the fish simmers, warm a stovetop-safe clay pot over medium heat for about 1–2 minutes, following the pot’s heating instructions. Add all the prepared iceberg lettuce to the warmed pot.

    Uses All washed and torn ¼ head lettuce from step 4

14. 14

    Step 14: Stir the slurry again and drizzle it into the simmering fish mixture while gently stirring, until the sauce is silky and thickened. Add all the reserved scallion greens and cook for a few seconds, just until they start to wilt. Scoop the bubbling fish, tofu and sauce over the lettuce in the warmed pot. Serve immediately in four portions, with separately cooked hot rice if desired.

    Uses All fully cooked wok mixture from step 12 · Slurry from step 4, stirred again and drizzled in until the sauce thickens · All green pieces from the two scallions prepared in step 4 · All lettuce placed in the serving pot in step 13 · Optional unmeasured ready-cooked hot rice prepared separately