Hunan Recipe
Hunan Chopped Chili Fish
Hunan chopped chili fish uses salted chopped chiles, ginger, garlic, scallions, and steam to create direct, bright chile flavor.
Why this dish works
The dish teaches the difference between Hunan heat and Sichuan ma-la. The flavor is salty, direct, chile-forward, and aromatic rather than numbing.
Recipe at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Serves | 2–4 |
| Time | 30 minutes |
| Core technique | Steaming with salted chiles |
| Heat level | Medium to hot |
| Best with | Rice and a simple vegetable |
Ingredients
- 1 whole fish or 1.25 lb fish fillets
- 3 tablespoons chopped salted chiles or sambal-like chopped chiles
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Optional: fermented black beans
Method
- Place fish on a heatproof plate and sprinkle with Shaoxing wine.
- Mix chopped chiles, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and fermented black beans if using.
- Spread chile mixture over the fish.
- Steam until the fish is just cooked.
- Scatter scallions on top.
- Heat oil until shimmering and pour over the scallions and chile topping.
- Serve immediately with rice.
Variations and substitutions
- Use fish fillets for convenience.
- Use chicken or tofu if fish is not available.
- Add more fermented black beans for deeper savoriness.
- Use less chopped chile and more ginger for a milder version.