Nancy生活馆 |年年有鱼 - 新年之际三款简易美味的全鱼做法 (上）
在美国吃全鱼 | Whole Fish Recipes in the US
在美国的前25年，我从没在家做过全鱼。一方面是因为工作忙，没时间折腾；另一方面是担心鱼腥味留在厨房里清洗起来太麻烦。
退休后静下心来，才发现做鱼其实没有那么复杂。近些年里逐渐地学习摸索出了几种简单又美味的做法，尤其是在新年这样喜庆的时刻，全鱼象征着团圆和丰盛，更是不可缺少的一道菜。这三种方法健康、美味，适合多种场合，比较实用。
我希望这些食谱能为您的餐桌增添一份亮点，也让您的家人品尝到独特的风味！
In my first 25 years living in the U.S., I never prepared a whole fish at home. Partly because I was too busy with work to deal with the process, and partly because I worried about lingering fishy odors in the kitchen and the hassle of cleaning up.
After retiring, I finally had the time to slow down and realized that cooking fish isn’t as complicated as I thought. Over the years, I’ve gradually learned and experimented with a few simple yet delicious recipes. Especially during celebratory occasions like Chinese New Year, whole fish is an essential dish, symbolizing unity and abundance. These three methods are healthy, flavorful, and versatile for various occasions.
I hope these recipes will add a special touch to your table and allow your family to enjoy unique and delicious flavors!
（一）无油炸豆瓣鱼 Steamed Fish with Bean Sauce
北方长大，极少有活鱼可以吃。冬天都是南方来的冻鱼，一般都是油炸或者红烧着吃的。
小时候过年过节时，家里全鱼的做法都是红烧。在纽约的时候，有一位四川姑娘介绍了几家四川餐馆的豆瓣鱼，她很喜欢，我也就认为比较正宗。都是油炸了鱼，再在汤汁里炖，浇浓汁。直到2017年我去四川成都学习烹调，才第一次惊奇的发现本地人真实版的豆瓣鱼是不用油炸，而是先清蒸再加入很简单的调味：
Growing up in Northern China, it was rare to have access to live fish. During the winter, the fish available were usually frozen and shipped from the South, and they were typically prepared by deep-frying or braising in heavy sauce.
As a child, during New Year’s and festive occasions, the whole fish on our table was always braised in a rich soy-based sauce. Later, when I lived in New York, a Sichuanese friend introduced me to several restaurants serving Douban Fish, a dish she loved and I assumed to be authentic. These versions involved deep-frying the fish before simmering it in a rich, flavorful sauce.
It wasn’t until 2017, during a cooking class in Chengdu, Sichuan, that I was amazed to discover the authentic home-style Douban Fish recipe. Unlike the restaurant versions, the fish is not deep-fried. Instead, it’s steamed first and then topped with a simple yet flavorful seasoning:
在成都师傅做出来的豆瓣鱼。我后来在家复制过很多次，这里和大家分享。
The Douban Fish prepared by the chef in Chengdu left a lasting impression on me. Since then, I’ve recreated it at home many times. Here, I’m excited to share the recipe with you all!
原料 Ingredients:
- 鳟鱼, 鳕鱼或者鲈鱼1 条 (1.5 lbs) | 1 whole trout (or bass), about 1.5 lbs
- 姜片 6 片 | 6 slices ginger (divided)
- 蒜 4-6 瓣 | 4-6 cloves garlic
- 葱 2 根 | 2 scallions (white part for steaming, green for garnish)
- 红干辣椒 2 个 | 2 dried red chilies
- 青辣椒 1 个 (可选) | 1 jalapeño (optional)
- 泡椒酱 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp pickled peppers
- 豆豉 1 tbsp (切碎) | 1 tbsp Chinese black beans (chopped)
- 酱油 2 tbsp | 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 陈醋 1 tsp | 1 tsp dark vinegar
- 糖 1 tsp | 1 tsp sugar
- 盐 2/3 tsp | 2/3 tsp salt
- 菜籽油 3 tbsp | 3 tbsp cooking oil
步骤 Directions:
-
准备鱼
：在鱼身上抹盐，放上姜片和葱白段。蒸10分钟后，将鱼转移到一个干净的盘子里。
Prepare the Fish: Rub the fish with salt, top with half the ginger slices and scallion whites. Steam for 10 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate.
-
制作酱汁
：热油锅，依次加入泡椒、葱白、豆豉和剩余的姜片、蒜瓣和辣椒，翻炒2-3秒。
- 然后加入豆酱油、陈醋、糖，鲜椒和半杯水，炒匀。
- 酱汁煮开后，立刻淋在蒸好的鱼上。趁热享用！
Prepare the Sauce: Heat oil, stir-fry pickled pepper, scallion greens, remaining ginger, garlic, and chilies for 2-3 seconds. Add black beans, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and ½ cup water. Once boiling, pour over the steamed fish. Serve hot!
如果是几条小一点的鱼也可以这样做，只是蒸鱼的时间要调短一点。
注意咸淡和辣的程度都可以根据自己的口味调整。豆豉炒了之后非常香！
If you’re using smaller fish, this method works just as well—just shorten the steaming time accordingly.
Be sure to adjust the saltiness and spiciness to your taste. The black beans become incredibly fragrant after stir-frying!
(二) 酒酿蒸鱼 | 江南吃法 Fish with Fermented Rice Wine
我想起这食谱的时候正好有几条漂亮的鳟鱼。这个食谱适合黄花鱼，鲈鱼，需要肉质细嫩的鱼比较好。鲜亮的鱼，要保证原味和鲜嫩的口感，就要少放一些调味料。
When I thought of this flavor, I happened to have a few beautiful golden trout. This recipe also works well with yellow croaker, sea bass, or any fish with tender, delicate flesh. For fresh and vibrant fish, it's important to use fewer seasonings to preserve their natural flavor and tender texture.
原料 Ingredients:
- 鳟鱼, 鳕鱼，黄花鱼1 条 (1.5 lbs) 1 trout (or yellow croaker，bass)
- 酒酿 1 小杯 | 1 small cup fermented wine rice
- 糖 1 tsp | 1 tsp sugar
- 绍兴酒 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 盐 ½ tsp | ½ tsp salt
- 枸杞、胡萝卜片 (装饰) | Goji berries, carrot slices ( garnish also add sweetness)
小时候在南方吃过酒酿味道的鱼，看到这鱼的时候马上就觉得酒酿会很适合这个鱼。这里是我自己实验的结果
When I was a child traveled in the Southern China, I had eaten fish cooked with fermented rice wine, and seeing this fish immediately made me think that fermented rice wine would pair perfectly with it. Here is the result of my own experiment.
步骤 Directions:
- 混合调料：将酒酿、糖和绍兴酒混合均匀。鱼身撒盐，并在鱼肚内放入姜片。用枸杞和胡萝卜片装饰，把酒酿的米也放上一起蒸。
Mix fermented rice, sugar, and Shaoxing wine. Sprinkle salt on the fish and stuff ginger slices inside. Garnish with goji berries and carrot slices rice inside the rice wine to steam together.
放入蒸汽烤箱蒸8分钟，出来正好。Steam it in a steam oven for 8 minutes, and it comes out perfectly.
- 蒸鱼：将鱼蒸7-8分钟后取出，装盘。将多余的酒酿汁淋在鱼上，趁热享用。
Steam for 7-8 minutes. Serve warm with the extra wine sauce poured over.
我用的鳟鱼鱼肉特别嫩。一根主要的骨头剔掉，就没有别的骨头了。
The trout I used had exceptionally tender meat. Once the main bone was removed, there were no other bones left.
鱼肉和酒酿拌在一起吃的非常幸福！这样鲜嫩的鱼配酒酿实在是太完美了！第一勺鱼和酒酿一起吃下实在是满心自豪的美！
The combination of fish and fermented rice is pure bliss! The tender fish paired with the fermented rice is truly perfect! Taking the first bite of fish with the fermented rice fills me with a deep sense of pride and joy!
食谱 (三) 柠檬酸豆蒸/烤鱼|意大利吃法
将在续篇分享
