This Sichuan recipe celebrates the dramatic heat and flavor of chilies with slices of tender fish served in a brothy mixture of peppers and sizzling oil.
Spicy food lovers! If you enjoy the flavors of Sichuan cuisine, I have a new recipe you are absolutely going to love.
I discovered the recipe in one of my favorite Sichuan cookbooks (listed below), and once I saw the name, I knew I had to make it my own and share it with you.
It is called Shuizhu Yu, or "Boiled Fish in a Seething Sea of Chilies". Talk about perfection! How could I not share this?
It's a fairly simple recipe with complex flavors, with strips of white fish lightly poached in a simmering broth flavored with stir fried dried chili peppers, mouth numbing Sichuan peppercorns, and sizzling hot chili oil, served over bean sprouts.
You'll have the recipe done in 30 minutes or less, and there isn't much prep in the kitchen, perfect for a slow cook like me.
The focus is absolutely on the flavor and the heat of the chilies, accentuated by the hot chili oil sizzling over the top, a modernist take on the more classic dish of water-boiled beef.
I've adapted this recipe to just how I like to make it, and I hope you love as much as I do.
Let's talk about how to make Shuizhu Yu (Boiled Fish in a Seething Sea of Chilies), shall we?
Shuizhu Yu (Boiled Fish in a Seething Sea of Chilies) Ingredients
- Fish. Use a firm white fish like sea bass, red snapper, mahi mahi, or grouper. Other fish can be used.
- FISH MARINADE
- Egg White.
- Shaoxing Wine.
- Salt.
- White Pepper.
- Corn Starch.
- FOR THE SOUP/BROTH
- Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
- Bean Sprouts.
- Small Dried Chilies. See the Recipe Notes section for options.
- Sichuan Peppercorns. Sichuan peppercorns offer a beautiful flavor and tongue-numbing sensation.
- Doubanjiang. This is my personal addition, doubanjiang, a Chinese chili bean paste made from fermented soybeans, broad beans, and hot chilies.
- Aromatics. Garlic, ginger, green onion.
- Fish Stock. This is for the broth, though you can use chicken stock, vegetable stock, or plain water if desired.
- For Serving. ¼ cup hot chil oil, spicy chili flakes, fresh chopped green onion
How to Make Shuizhu Yu (Boiled Fish in a Seething Sea of Chilies) - the Recipe Method
Slice the Fish. Slice the fish into thin ¼ inch strips and add to a bowl. This ensures quick cooking of the fish.
Marinate the Fish. Whisk the marinade ingredients together then pour over the fish. Marinate at least 5 minutes, or up to 30 minutes or 1 hour, refrigerated.
Stir Fry the Bean Sprouts. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large pan to medium-high heat. Add the bean sprouts and stir fry for 1 minute. Remove and set into the bottom of serving bowls.
This will support the fish.
Stir Fry the Dried Chilies. Heat 1 more tablespoon vegetable oil (if needed) in the same wok or pan to medium-high heat. Add the chopped dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns and stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Transfer the stir fried chilies to a plate and set aside.
Stir Fry the Doubanjiang and Aromatics. Add final tablespoon vegetable oil (if needed) and doubanjiang to the wok or pan and stir fry for 1 minute (doubanjiang will darken), then add garlic, ginger, green onion, fried dried chilies, and peppercorns.
Stir fry 1 more minute.
Add Water/Stock and Simmer. Add water (or fish stock) and salt to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Cook the Fish. Add marinated fish and simmer for 2-3 minutes (separating the slices, if needed), until cooked through. Transfer fish to serving bowls, on top of the bean sprouts.
Add to Bowls. Pour the soup/broth into the serving bowls.
Sizzle the Chili Oil. Heat the wok back to medium-high heat. Add the hot chili oil and heat for 1 minute, or until it starts to sizzle.
Serve it Up! Pour the sizzling hot chili oil over the serving bowls, then garnish wish spicy chili flakes and fresh chopped green onion. Serve sizzling hot!
Boom! Done! Your shuizhu yu is ready to serve. Doesn't it just look and smell wonderful? This is seriously a spicy food lover's dream recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Chili Pepper Options. Use japones or spicy Chinese peppers if you can find them, though you can substitute other dried chilies to your preference. Chile de arbol is a great option for this recipe.
- The chilies in the recipe aren't meant to be consumed, only to flavor the broth. Traditionally, diners pluck out the fish and bean sprouts with chopsticks or a spoon, though the chilies are edible.
- Serving this dish with the hot chili oil still sizzling is ideal for a more authentic experience, but it's okay if you don't quite achieve that full sizzle.
Storage
This recipe will last for a day in the refrigerator in a sealed container, though I wouldn't keep it longer than that. The fish is best served and consumed right away, where it will be at peak flavor.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Shuizhu Yu recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you love spicy and bold Chinese cuisine, I highly recommend this cookbook, which highlights Chinese food from the Sichuan province. I'm learning very much from this book.
- The Food of Sichuan, by Fuchsia Dunlop (affiliate link, my friends!)
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Sichuan Boiled Fish in a Seething Sea of Chilies Recipe (Shuizhu Yu)
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound fish fillet use sea bass, red snapper, mahi mahi, or grouper
FISH MARINADE
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
FOR THE SOUP/BROTH
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1.5 cups bean sprouts
- 2 ounces about 20 small dried chilies seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons whole Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons doubanjiang
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 inch knob ginger peeled and chopped
- 1 green onion chopped (white and green parts)
- 3.5 cups water or use fish stock for deeper flavor
- Salt to taste
- For Serving. ¼ cup hot chil oil, spicy chili flakes, fresh chopped green onion
Instructions
- Slice the fish into thin ¼ inch strips and add to a bowl.
- Whisk the marinade ingredients together then pour over the fish. Marinate at least 5 minutes, or up to 30 minutes or 1 hour, refrigerated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large pan to medium-high heat. Add the bean sprouts and stir fry for 1 minute. Remove and set into the bottom of serving bowls. This will support the fish.
- Heat 1 more tablespoon vegetable oil (if needed) in the same wok or pan to medium-high heat. Add the chopped dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns and stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the stir fried chilies to a plate and set aside.
- Add final tablespoon vegetable oil (if needed) and doubanjiang to the wok or pan and stir fry for 1 minute (doubanjiang will darken), then add garlic, ginger, green onion, fried dried chilies, and peppercorns. Stir fry 1 more minute.
- Add water (or fish stock) and salt to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add marinated fish and simmer for 2-3 minutes (separating the slices, if needed), until cooked through. Transfer fish to serving bowls, on top of the bean sprouts.
- Pour the soup/broth into the serving bowls.
- Heat the wok back to medium-high heat. Add the hot chili oil and heat for 1 minute, or until it starts to sizzle.
- Pour the sizzling hot chili oil over the serving bowls, then garnish wish spicy chili flakes and fresh chopped green onion. Serve sizzling hot!
Notes
Nutrition Information
john carollo says
the peppercorns in this recipe do they remain hard and do they have to be removed? you can't eat them right? do they break down in the recipe?
Mike Hultquist says
They do not break down, John. You can remove them, or grind them first, if desired.
Antony Bartlett says
Could you substitute chicken instead of the fish in this dish
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, but be sure to simmer long enough for the chicken to cook through.
Dominique says
Hi Mike just to let you know that I really enjoy reading a preparing your recipe …I use spicy chilli crisp in a jar and the result is great ! Thank you from Québec, Canada.
Mike H. says
Big thanks going to Québec, Canada 🙂 Enjoy, Dominique!
RT says
The broth is not eaten? Sounds too good to not eat!
Mike H. says
🙂 🙂
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use mushrooms and vegetable broth i never had shuizhu yu before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Mike H. says
Thank you, Ramya - your comment brightened up my day! 🙂