Fish Steamed with Fillings

1) Scale, draw and trim fish. Wash it clean. Slash both sides in the following manner: at about 1.1/4 inches below gill slits cut down to the bone and turn knife toward the head so that the flesh is turned up; do the second slash likewise, at about 1.1/4 inches from the first cut, and turn up the flesh; and so on.

2) Chop fine Sichuan broad-bean sauce.

Trim chillies of stems and seeds. Wash clean and cut into fine slivers.

Wash and pare carrot and sliver fine.

Cut both scallion and ginger into fine slivers.

3) Heat fry pan on fire. Put in lard. When this is hot, stir-fry pork slivers. Add broad-bean sauce and stir-fry it on gentle fire until it smells good and the oil becomes red. Add slivers of scallion, ginger, chilli and carrot, soya sauce, cooking wine, gourmet powder and sugar. Stir well and this becomes the "five-sliver filling".

4) Fill all the slash-openings on fish with the filling. Put fish in a plate and steam it to cover for 20 minutes.

Notes:

(1) After fish is slashed, it may, preferably, be deep-tried slightly so that the slashes may open up and become set. This will improve the presentation and facilitate the insertion of fillings.

The fish should be covered during steaming, for condensed water dripped in may affect the taste.

(2) This dish, marked by a deliciously hot taste, is very appetizing. Its brilliant colors make it a favorite choice for home banquets.