Dive into the delightful flavors of Chinese cuisine with this Stuffed Carp recipe. Filled with a colorful mix of vegetables and enhanced with a savory sauce, this dish is both impressive and delicious. Perfect for a special dinner or to treat yourself to something extraordinary!
Ingredients (Serves 2):
- Medium-sized carp: 1
- Yellow bell pepper: 1
- Red bell pepper: 1
- Small red onion: 1
- Large eggplant: 1
- Fresh ginger root: 2 cm (1 inch)
- Star anise: 2 “stars”
- Soy sauce: 4 tbsp (60 ml)
- Sugar: 2 tbsp (30 g)
- Cornstarch: 2 tsp (10 g)
- Rice vinegar: 1 tbsp (15 ml)
- Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp (30 ml)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Prepare the Carp:
Scale and wash the carp thoroughly. Make a deep cut along the back. Using scissors, cut the backbone near the head and tail and carefully remove it. Use tweezers to extract any remaining bones. Remove the gills and entrails, and wash the fish again.
Prepare the Vegetables:
Cut the bell peppers in half, remove the stems and seeds, and slice the flesh into thick strips. Cut the eggplant into batons, slice the onion into thin half-moons, and finely chop the ginger.
Cook the Vegetables:
Stir-fry the prepared vegetables and half of the ginger over high heat in 1 tbsp (15 ml) of hot vegetable oil for 1 minute. Add half of the soy sauce and immediately remove from heat.
Stuff the Carp:
Stuff the carp through the back with the stir-fried vegetables. Secure the opening with toothpicks and thread a string between them (like lacing a shoe) to slightly tighten the cut.
Bake the Carp:
Dissolve 1 tsp (5 g) of cornstarch in 2 tbsp (30 ml) of water. Coat the fish with this mixture. Place the carp on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 25 minutes.
Make the Sauce:
In a saucepan, melt the sugar in 3 tbsp (45 ml) of water. Add the remaining soy sauce, ginger, star anise, and rice vinegar.
Dissolve the remaining cornstarch in 2 tbsp (30 ml) of water and slowly pour into the sauce, stirring continuously.
Serve:
Before serving, drizzle the carp with the prepared sauce.
Cook’s Note:
For the best results, use the freshest fish possible. In Chinese cooking, live fish is often kept in water until just before cooking. We recommend using live carp for this recipe to achieve the most authentic flavor and texture.
Impress your guests with this exquisite Chinese-Style Stuffed Carp, featuring a colorful mix of vegetables and a savory sauce. Easy to prepare and bursting with flavor, this dish is perfect for any special occasion!
