Mandarin Fish Congee
Tips for Making Top Mandarin Fish Congee
Mandarin fish is a common fish in Guangdong area that lays eggs from May to July. This is also the best time to eat fresh Mandarin fish, as this is when they are biggest.
There are two critical factors to successfully making Mandarin fish congee.
- First, the chef must select fresh Mandarin fish and kill it just for the dish.
- Secondly, a very fast sheng gun cooking method must be utilized. The thin fish slices must be stirred quickly after being placed in the congee, and the heat must be turned off immediately when they are ready. This is because Mandarin fish has very delicate and tender meat. If it is overly boiled, the meat may fall apart, and it will lose its fresh flavor.
×
![]()
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) rice
- 1 Mandarin fish
Seasonings
- 1 heaping teaspoon (5 grams) salt
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) shredded ginger
- appropriate amount of cooking wine
- sesame oil to taste
Please see measurements in grams to be more exact for all ingredients and seasonings.
Cooking Directions
- Wash rice. Soak overnight, then remove from water. Mix in 1/3 of the prepared salt and soak for approximately 1 more hour with salt.
- Kill and clean Mandarin fish. Extract 3.52 ounces (100 grams) of meat and cut into thin slices. Mix in 1/3 of the prepared salt, cooking wine, and shredded ginger. Marinate for approximately 15 minutes.
- Tip: Cut the fish slices as thinly as possible, as thinner slices will cook more easily and achieve a better taste.
- Pour water that was used to soak rice from step 1 into a clay pot. Add additional water as needed. Bring to rolling boil over high heat. Add soaked rice. Bring to a rolling boil again and then reduce heat to low. Continue to boil until a thick, sticky consistency is achieved.
- Raise heat to high and add marinated Mandarin fish. Disperse the fish slices rapidly around the pot. When fish changes color, immediately turn off the heat.
- Add the remaining 1/3 salt and drizzle on sesame oil. Serve.
You may also like: