Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
Traditionally, the fish for this classic Chinese dish is battered and deep-fried. In our version, the fish is pan-seared in hot oil, but still gets plenty of texture and flavor from ginger, caramelized scallions, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. When you’re cooking the fish, be sure to let it get golden brown on the first side before turning. Once turned, the fish won’t take much longer to cook through. Serve with steamed rice, or this gussied up version. It's amazing what a little bit of butter, a dash of vinegar, and some salt and sugar can do.