Ingredients:
- 鱼头 (Yu Tou) - Fish head, 1 piece (about 1-1.5 lbs)
- 干辣椒 (Gan La Jiao) - Dried chili peppers, 10 pieces
- 花椒 (Hua Jiao) - Sichuan peppercorns, 1 tablespoon
- 姜 (Jiang) - Ginger, 1 piece
- 蒜 (Suan) - Garlic, 4 cloves
- 葱 (Cong) - Green onions, 2 stalks
- 香菜 (Xiang Cai) - Cilantro, for garnish
- 酱油 (Jiang You) - Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons
- 料酒 (Liao Jiu) - Cooking wine, 1 tablespoon
- 盐 (Yan) - Salt, to taste
- 白胡椒粉 (Bai Hu Jiao Fen) - White pepper powder, to taste
- 食用油 (Shi Yong You) - Cooking oil, 3 tablespoons
Steps:
Prepare the Fish Head: Clean the fish head, remove the gills and scales, and cut it in half.
Marinate the Fish Head: Sprinkle salt and white pepper powder evenly on the fish head, then drizzle with cooking wine. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.
Prepare the Spices Prepare the dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns.
Stir-fry the Spices: Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok, add the ginger slices, minced garlic, dried chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns, and stir-fry until fragrant.
Add the Fish Head: Add the marinated fish head to the wok and stir-fry evenly.
Season: Add the soy sauce and continue to stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add Water and Simmer: Add enough hot water to cover the fish head, cover with the lid, and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Reduce the Sauce: Remove the lid, turn the heat to high, and reduce the sauce until it thickens.
Plating: Transfer the fish head to a plate and sprinkle with shredded green onions and cilantro.
Serve: The spicy fish head is ready to be served hot.
Difficulty:
- Ingredient Availability: 3/5 (Some ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns and specific types of fish heads might require a visit to an Asian market.)
- Preparation Difficulty: 4/5 (The process involves multiple steps and requires careful handling of the spices and fish head.)