Fish-flavour fish

Fish-flavour aubergine contains no actual fish, nor does it actually taste like fish; the sauce is a common way of cooking fish in Sichuan cuisine, apparently. I've posted about this dish before and succeeded in making a decent version in the past; recently, however, I've discovered an even better recipe from Kenji at Serious Eats (who is totally my Food Idol). This version is simpler, tastier and also accidentally vegan! With a few tweaks to suit my tastebuds, it's pretty much become my new Favourite Thing To Cook, and judging by the reactions of the Sunday gang a couple of weeks ago, its popularity is rapidly spreading.

There's only so many times I can feed aubergine to people before they get suspicious, though (no, I don't own shares in an aubergine farm, I just love eating the stuff. Really) and besides, we were already having aubergine in black bean and chilli sauce, so I had to find another use for this spicy, tangy, delicious sauce. What better than going back to its supposed roots and serving it with some golden-fried pieces of white fish in a crispy coating?

Even the avowed non-fish-eaters liked this one...

Sichuan Yu-Xiang Sauce (modified from Serious Eats)

2 tbs rice vinegar
2 long red chillies, chopped
2 tbs shaoxing wine
2 tbs chinkiang vinegar
2 tbs sugar
1 tbs soy
1 1/2 tbs chilli bean paste
1 1/4 tsp cornflour

Heat vinegar in microwave in a small bowl or mug until hot; add chopped red chilli and allow to cool. Add remaining ingredients and mix well until sugar and cornflour are dissolved.

4 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 tsp finely chopped ginger
4 spring onions, white part finely chopped, green part sliced into 2cm lengths and set aside

Heat wok and stir-fry aromatics until fragrant. (If making for aubergine or other food that requires further cooking, add that now and cook until nearly done; if making as a toss-through sauce, continue). Add sauce mix and keep cooking, stirring constantly, until glossy. Add green parts of spring onion and any toss-through ingredients (like fried fish pieces), toss well to coat with sauce and serve.

When making with aubergine, I use Kenji's brining method, with 2 tbs fine salt per 4 cups water (enough to brine 2-3 good size aubies; the above quantity of sauce is just right for 2), but then brush the pieces with oil and grill until browned and mostly softened. The grilled aubergine can then hold until just before cooking, then gets tossed in the wok for its final softening and to heat through before adding the sauce and finishing the dish.

For the fish version, the above amount of sauce was about right for around a pound and a half of white fish fillets, sliced into good-sized pieces and tossed with potato starch seasoned with salt and pepper before deep-frying in two batches for 2-3 minutes until a nice golden colour.